(Ketki Angre is a senior special correspondent with NDTV 24x7)Till a few hours ago, they had the whole village (and the media) converging on their home in the village in the district of Rohtak in Haryana. Congratulatory messages were pouring in for Pooja and Arti (age 19 and 22) and bravery awards announced in their names. But now, some uncomfortable questions have also been added to the list.
The reason - another video of the sisters beating a boy, reportedly filed about a month ago in a park, has surfaced on social media. The girls claim that the boy passed lewd comments as they walked past, but it has also raised questions about their 'serial acts of bravery'. Many ask why they never filed a police complaint; others wonder how an eye-witness seems available to film their action each time they are allegedly sexually harassed.
Supporters suggest the girls are setting a fine example - they simply don't want to take things lying down and are battle-ready. Critics wonder whether they are always itching for a fight, and whether their battles are stage-managed.
If Monday was completely packed with media interviews, their college exam on Tuesday seemed to have passed without incident, even though, they confessed, they hardly had any time to prepare. Yet, in many ways, the exam isn't over yet. The new video means along with the praise, there will also come more scrutiny. "More videos will emerge. I am 19 have been harassed by 2000 boys in my life....wherever I got the chance, I beat them up," said Pooja, defensively.
Theirs, was in many ways a fairy tale, where the good wins over bad after facing a tough time. What made their story more impactful was the immediate contrast of a state that's often on the wrong side of the fight, be it with dishonour killings, female foeticide or violence against women (where the victims often were nameless, faceless entities without a voice of their own). These two were not only combative, they seemed willing to pick a battle even with the odds stacked against them. Now though, the shades of grey have already crept in, where there is no single narrative anymore, but many versions of the truth, depending on who you ask.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this blog are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing on the blog do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.