This Rakhi, sisters exhort brothers to take vow against abusive language

Sunil Jaglan, a professor of practice at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), known for his ongoing efforts to curb the use of abusive language through the ‘Gaali Bandh Ghar Abhiyan’, has introduced a special initiative to mark this year’s Raksha Bandhan with a meaningful message.

As part of the campaign, Jaglan has printed and posted over 3,000 postcards to women across Haryana, urging them to exhort their beothers to take a pledge this Raksha Bandhan — to refrain from using abusive language in their daily life. He has encouraged sisters to turn the sacred thread of Rakhi into a symbolic shield of respectful language.

To further amplify the message, women are also being invited to share videos of themselves tying a rakhi while their brothers take this language-respect pledge. The campaign will highlight these videos on social media, and selected participants will be felicitated in an upcoming ceremony.

“We have named the campaign ‘Raksha Bandhan ki Dor, Gaali Bandhan ki Aur’. Raksha Bandhan is more than a celebration of sibling love; it is also a promise of protection. This year, we are adding a new dimension: the protection of language and dignity,” said Jaglan, a former sarpanch of Bibipur village in Jind district.

He emphasised that abusive language was a social evil and just as brothers vowed to protect their sisters, they must also pledge to help create a kinder, more respectful society. The campaign is a step towards fostering sensitivity in speech and behaviour, starting from the heart of every home, he added.

Jaglan has recently released the findings of a comprehensive 11-year survey conducted under his “Gaali Bandh Ghar Abhiyan”. It reveals that approximately 55 per cent of men and women across India commonly use abusive language in their daily interactions. The survey spanned all states and union territories, with Delhi recording the highest prevalence at 80 per cent, followed by Punjab, while Kashmir reported the lowest usage at 15 per cent.

He said the study covered over 70,000 individuals across multiple states, including students, parents, teachers, doctors, police personnel, lawyers, and other professionals, in the past 11 years. It identified 11,300 such cases in Uttar Pradesh, 8,400 in Madhya Pradesh, 6,100 in Rajasthan, 4,200 in Punjab, 3,800 in Maharashtra, and others in Delhi, Gujarat, Bihar, Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Goa, and West Bengal, he added. “We are planning to conduct similar surveys across South Asia and work towards eliminating abusive language towards women worldwide. Abusive language is a mental illness and many words globally directly hurt women’s dignity,” Jaglan added.