Saturday, May 31, 2014

Barbarians inside the gate – Continuing saga of rape, torture and murder


One more rape found all its way to the headlines of national newspapers and television talk shows. After exhaustive coverage of more than half a yearlong national election campaign, AAP party’s blitzkrieg in Delhi before that, media was waiting for another hot issue.  They got one from UP, ruled by a shaking regional party.

One of my friend recently told me an embarrassing experience. While talking with a foreign female colleague he asked “would you like to visit India for a vacation?” Her answer came immediately, “No, India is not safe for women”. That is the level of awareness we give to potential visitors. No amount of Incredible India campaign can beat it.

We always claims to give high regard for women in our society. Ready for arguments by extracting examples from mythology to prove the amount of respect and freedom we showed on Indian women. Probably every time we have to go back to pre-historic times, because of our dishonorable record in contemporary times. In addition to that, one don’t have to give much proof while talking about pre-historic times.

The brutal gang rape, torture and hanging of UP kids are snapshot of our society’s barbarianism. This is not an isolated incident, everyday there might be many of such incidents happening in rural and urban India. Unfortunately, only a few of them make it in to new paper headlines; and still a fraction of it be able to raise the blood temperature of our youth and administration.

There is no point in singling out UP administration. If this incident happened in any other state, results will be same only. Politicians knew that society’s blood temperature will come back to normal after a number of token actions and a couple of days. That’s exactly the problem, activists and media often forget to take the issues to its logical conclusion. In addition to that, we abhor the victims and make their life difficult. At the same time, society care less about the culprits and they quickly find a way to come back to a normal life.

Still I am horrified by the courage of culprits to hang the body in a public place. Are we living in medieval times?

Demanding CBI investigation

It is interesting to see the continuing demand for CBI investigation after every such incident. Did the people loss the miniscule faith they still had in state police? Anyway, why should they believe the Police, who demand money and put victims name in culprits list? This is time for Police department in every state to do some introspection, why people of their state have little faith in them and ask for CBI investigation for everything. If they don’t do, then only God can save them.

A social obligation

Society has an obligation to help the family and integrate the rape victims back to social life; Police have an obligation – at least for the salary they receive from public – to take the culprits to the court and bring the case to a logical conclusion; administration have an obligation to enforce the law and order, protect the wealth and honor of citizens. Hope that this time – and in all future occasions - all the concerned parties will do justice to their roles.

Sajeev.

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