Tackling Railway Rowdies

A corporate professional looking after CSR in a renewable energy company, Mumbaibased Dipesh Tank is also a loud voice against harassment of women in public spaces and a strong advocate for stringent anti-trafficking laws

"Along with a group of friends, he started a group called War Against Railway Rowdies, with the help of the cops. From conducting surveys to capturing the offender in action with the help of cameras hidden in his sunglasses"

Not all good men wear capes. Neither do they have to be supermen for that matter. All it takes is a resolve to overcome that most natural emotion of self-preservation to lend a helping hand to one's fellow men or in this case women and children. At 41, Dipesh Tank has put himself at risk several times over. From stepping up for women facing harassment in Mumbai's local trains to rescuing girls from trafficking to spearheading campaigns like "Dear Men", he pushes for accountability from the males when it comes to issues pertaining to safety and dignity of the females.

How it all started

Brought up with strong empathy for the burdens of women and an abiding respect for their innate strength, Dipesh points out how his mother was the one looking after the little catering business at home. Socially responsible from the get-go, he first forayed into channelising the youthful energy of his friends circle in 2006. "It was around the time of the Mumbai blasts," he says. "It was a fine experience in being able to do something for the larger community."

In 2012, the Nirbhaya case shook up the nation. "Like everyone else, I felt terrible. It was so heinous crime and it made me wonder about the status of law and order in our country and how some men felt that they were above the law," he shares.

Unlike most others, his conscience was not silenced in the rough and tumble of day to day living. Instead it grew sharper and more painful by the day. A little while later, as he was travelling through a local train, he chanced upon a group of men at peak hours, heckling a woman. "It made me so angry. When I confronted them, they ran away," he says. The memory stayed with him and rankled on every level. "I just don't think this is okay," he says.

And so, along with a group of friends, he started a group called War Against Railway Rowdies, with the help of the cops. From conducting surveys to capturing the offender in action with the help of cameras hidden in his sunglasses, Dipesh helped take many men to task. "That hidden camera made my life so much easier. The chances of falling off the train became fewer," he smiles.

Understanding the root of evil

Ask him why he believes some men behave thus, and his answer is simple. It isn't about power or sex, he says. "It's all about what they have grown up with. Sex offenders see womenbeing mistreated at home , they growup without learning consent , respect or empathy and the outcome is terrible. They will do what it takes to get attention, in the worst manner possible," he says.

To that end, what kind of education would he advocate for the youth? "Teaching them the importance of handling emotions correctly, accepting rejection and navigating break-ups positively are hugely important," he says. "All schools and colleges must teach students the importance of consent, respect and empathy."

Taking a stand against trafficking

In 2016, Dipesh pivoted into rescuing girls from human trafficking. "I happened to know of a 13-year-old from a poor home who was pregnant," he says. Once again, he asked himself: What is it that needs to be done?

"Posing as a casting director, I travelled to the place and spread the word that a Bollywood celebrity would be shooting there, and to that end, I needed help for crowd management as well as dancers. Many children auditioned, before I finally spotted one of the girls. With the help of the cops, I doubled down on the clue and ended up rescuing three to four other girls from Maharashtra and Odisha as well," he says.

When he puts himself at risk, how does he overcome the fear that anyone would naturally feel? "There is no overcoming of fear, one has to work with it. I tell myself that unless and until there is a person with a gun to my head, it's not real," he smiles. "Fear cannot be the barrier that gets in the way of what you strongly believe in. You have to take those calculated risks."

So what is it that makes him do what he does? "I strongly believe all of us are born with a spiritual purpose. The Universe has a way of pushing you in the direction of things where you can utilise your strengths to make a difference," he says.

"There is no overcoming of fear, one has to work with it. I tell myself that unless and until there is a person with a gun to my head, it's not real. Fear cannot be the barrier that gets in the way of what you strongly believe in "

Cut the demand for paid sex; strengthen anti-trafficking laws

Despite having worked for women's issues in so relentless a manner, Dipesh is strongly critical of the patriarchal mindset of men saving women. "Women have to stand up for themselves, no matter how tough," he says. "For instance, if someone is staring at you or filming you, just go and confront him. Ninety per cent of the time, the offender will back off."

As a country, where are we going wrong when it comes to dealing with the scourge of human trafficking? “We need to understand that this is a clear case of supply fulfilling a core demand. It is highly important to discourage men from buying sex. To cut demand, the antitrafficking law in parliament has to be passed and strongly implemented. The sad part is that taking up cudgels against trafficking is not attractive work. I mean there are no photos and rewards, so the poor women and kids continue to be traumatised. The enormity of this crime and what it bodes for us must be understood in its entirety. For starters, let's stop brushing it under the carpet," he rounds off.