It is not that only the girl has died. A part of all of us has also died with her.
“Each man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind…”
John Donne
The outpouring of grief over the death in a Singapore hospital of the 23-year old victim of the gang rape, who had been hailed as Nirbhaya (fearless) and Amanat (treasure) in various write-ups, is just not confined to India but has enveloped the entire world, judged by the media accounts. Justly and expectedly so. It is not hard to understand why, among so many other instances of rape that seem to occur at the rate of one every 22 minutes in the country, this particular one should have received world-wide attention.
The sadist infliction of barbaric cruelties, reminding one of medieval torture, on a defenceless girl by depraved fiends on the prowl is one part of the explanation. Not only was she beaten by an iron rod on the head, and subjected to unspeakable horrors, resulting in injuries to vital organs that proved fatal, but she was thrown naked in the dead of night out of the bus which she had boarded, little knowing that vile monsters in human form were lurking, looking out for helpless preys to give vent to their beastly urges.
Echoing the anguished feelings of all civilised beings are these lines of a young woman-poet: What did you do to deserve this fate, this end — A woman of the same age as me? You lived in this strange world for a fraction of what you should have/You were only minding your business when those monsters made it theirs./They snuffed out your life for ever/It took your suffering to open a million eyes/I wish this hadn’t happened, but now that it has/We will fight for what’s ours — our respect, our dignity!
INCREDIBLE IRONY
Apart from its gruesomeness, the second reason why this particular incident impacted to this extent was that, in the context of the rampant and uncontrolled corruption having Delhi police force in its vice-like grip, it was a tragedy waiting to happen. It laid bare for all the world to see, the hafta/mamool network among road transport owners, operators, the police and even some political higher-ups in the Delhi administration.
In perhaps one of the most incredible ironies in the history of investigation of crimes, for zeroing in on the accused in this case, the police officers assigned to catch the culprits, are reported to have heavily depended on the entries in the diaries meticulously maintained by their cohorts showing the exact hafta amounts, the owners/drivers from which they were due and the periodicity governing the extortions. In other words, it is not the long arms of the law but the longer grabbing arms of graft that are apparently ruling the roost in Delhi (and in the rest of India too).
It is clear as noonday Sun, that if this abhorrent collusion continues to plague the police administration, all efforts for preventing the recurrence of similar looming tragedies will make no dent at all on the pernicious phenomenon. I did not see any reference to any measure to curb this corroding evil in all the grandiose announcements of the Government. There should have been a high-power committee set up to go into the ramifications of the widely prevalent hafta network and suggest measures to mitigate the havoc it is causing.
EMOTIONAL UPHEAVAL
Aggravating these factors was the monumental insensitivity of the political class. The common assumption made of the denizens of that conglomeration is that they have their ears to the ground and know where the shoe pinches. It lay shattered right from the moment the details of the heinous sexual crime began trickling in. The mass upsurge born out of the people’s rage which was spontaneous, genuine and apolitical was trivialised and traduced by tuppenny-ha’penny politicians shooting their mouths off to cast aspersions on the character and motives of the protesters. They barricaded themselves from the deeply stirred millions of young men and women throughout the country who felt that before their very eyes the India of their dreams was going to the dogs.
The entirely justified emotional upheaval was given the jackboots treatment, with human beings trampled upon as if they were dirt. The President and the Prime Minister, of what was often touted as the world’s largest democracy, did not think it necessary either to meet the protesters or to visit the raped girl in hospital fighting for her life.
All in all, it is not that only the girl has died. A part of all of us has also died with her.
Keywords: Rape and India
Comments:
If the controlling cliques in the Indian central Govt are honest and if their
counterparts in the Indian States are honest then the shame and the disgrace that
they have shown so far may begin to be reversed.
If they still fail to get it and if they refuse to apologise in kind for the past nearly 70
years of failures following the move to oust the British began in earnest then the
whole of the population will be diminished.
The women in India deserve absolutely no patronage. No soothing reassurance.
What women need and deserve is straight and simple. Justice. Now. Every time any
violation actually happens against a woman, there must be the due remedy. Instantly.
This is the start that Manmohan Singh must make.
Quit making banal statements and patronising nosies.
And the victims in Bihar, Manipur and elsewhere of ALL sexual, gender-linked
violation, violence, assault and insult must be attended to right now, without delay.
1645 Hrs GMT London Sunday 30 December 2012.
The collusion between the police and transport operators like private
buses, private cars running as taxis, TSRS, maxi school cabs, paying
regular haftas to the cops is denying the general public safe means of
transport. In the present case the TSR refused to go beyond Munirka
and the two decided to travel by the bus which resulted in this
tragedy.There should be some booths managed by social welfare Ministry
where perons could go and get their FIR lodged whenever the police
refuse to take down the complaint for one reason or the other and
these booths should forward the complaint to police HQ for further
action.The statement of rape accused should only be recorded by lady
police officer.The recruitment and training of police force shouldbe
on the line of recruitment of Defence officers and Jawans by NDA. We
should have National Police Academy similar to NDA. And of course the
justice should be delivered fast by establishing fast track courts.
"All in all, it is not that only the girl has died. A part of all of us has also died with her. " What kind of cockamamie is that ?
Very correct! It is not only Nirbhaya who has died, but some part of
us has died with her as well! Even to imagine it gives shudders, what
that young girl actually underwent; and we salute her indomitable
spirit to live despite all the pain and agony she was going through!
It is only her body that has died, her soul is here, with us, waiting
to see not only her culprits punished, but to see a safe India, a
place where women are safe and every one is allowed to live with
dignity; where we have a more sensible and sensitive regime!
Those with power must understand that every female is vulnerable in
this country today, even if she is their own kith or kin, thanks to
their corrupt ways!
Having fast-track courts, stringent laws, prompt filing of charge-
sheets, policemen lodging FIRs quickly etc are all the measures that
will come into play AFTER the crime - first and foremost need is to
put strong systems in place so as to prevent the occurrence of such
crimes in the first place!
SHE SHOULD HVAE BEEN GIVEN STATE FUNERAL....IT SEEMS, THE UPA, SONIA, MANNU AND THEIR CRONIES ARE TOTALLY DISCONNECTED WITH THE COUNTRY AND ITS MOOD...
WE CAN CALL ANY DAKU LEFT IN CHAMBAL TO RULE OVER US....CANT SEE THE FACE OF THESE MORALLY DEAD AND EMOTIONALLY VACUOUS ZOMBIES ANY MORE...
Mr NARENDRA MODI U HAVE SUITABLE JOB IN WAITING...
so, what are you all going to do about it? And all the other
unspeakable acts that go on in India. The world is watching.
For a moment I thought it was some efficient officer of Delhi police who
was responsible for solving the case. How unbelievable that "for zeroing
in on the accused in this case, the police officers assigned to catch
the culprits, are reported to have heavily depended on the entries in
the diaries meticulously maintained by their cohorts showing the exact
hafta amounts, the owners/drivers from which they were due and the
periodicity governing the extortions"!! What a shame!!
Why blame police alone. It's rotten from top to bottom and left to right.
The Coward act of Brutality that has shocked the Nation with a Gang
rape in the Bus in the National Capital has really put the Women's in
dilemma in regard to there safety and security in the present scenario
. The women's work shoulder to shoulder with men in the present arena
and the shameful act has really let down the countries prestige on the
International Platform . the need of time is Strict Punishment , Time
Bond verdict and the verdict as an eye opener so that no body in
future dares to repeat such type of barbaric , brutal incident of Rape
in future .
No India is not diminished by the rape, but on the other hand I think India stands tall on how the public has reacted to this heinous act. The entire city and nation is up, hats off to the young hearts, they have finally woken up.
Rapes and murders are a daily way of life in the great US as well, however no one has much time to grieve for the victim or go on the streets to protest. Death of 20 plus kids in gun violence didn't bring people on the street, everyone is busy paying for the bills and finding some pleasure in their daily grind.
Search for the news on rape and murder in US and in one week you will have more than you can read.
She died because she was raped or because no one helped her when she was lying on the road for close to an hour on the cold wintry night, probably bleeding. The rapists are responsible but so are we (the passerbys) for not helping, not calling ambulance. It was our apathy or fear of problem with the machinery that killed her. The law should be changed to enable common citizens to at least be able to help people in need by providing necessary guarantee that they would not be harassed.
All this is because in India nobody cares to do their duty. U have
to bribe to have people do what they should do anyway. Today we have
key institutions like the Police Force, judiciary and Army which have
been compromised. Yes men are wanted and any upright person is done
way with or sidelined
Looks bleak going forward / Each person to himself is the evolving
thought process in light of the repeated failure of public
institutions.
They have abolished Prostitution, fighting against rape now. They haven't stopped airing ads during the fight against rape shows. They are just making money. I guess they want to promote a sex toys company. They dont care about lakhs of people getting killed on the roads every year. It looks like they have some preplanned agenda. They are portraying like every woman is raped in India. Let the show continues. Time will teach a lesson to Media Rogues.
Now It seems I am afraid of myself.
From age 7 , I do self-s*x by imagining teacher is spanking & insulting
girls for not doing home work.
It seems If am given whisky & allowed to sit in front of girl , I can do
some bad acts.
but what I can do. I cannot kill myself. It is God's goodness niether I
am married nor I did any bad activities till now .
We want justice & we want it quick..What the government in Delhi can do is run "ladies special" buses like the ladies special trains in mumbai with the driver & conductor both being women at least at the peak hours & if possible on all main routes. For self defence women need to carry chilli spray so that the minute they sense something untoward they can simply use the spray. Only severe punishment to the culprits will help reduce such incidents... Government needs to create fear in the minds of all such men so that they would not even dare to attempt such a heinous act...
Yes, with her demise, something in us has also died.The brave girl who faced the beasts in humans, yet had the desire to live.
Those beasts be thrown among the drunkard Bulls who would kill them after giving the severest of torture with their horns puncturing their body apart.
May tghe departed noble soul rests in peace in the lap of Allmighty
This nation needs to changed the way it thinks.This nation need not accept status quo anymore.This nation needs to break out of its moral stupor.This nation needs new leaders to come forward and lead, people with courage,integrity,humanity and ideals.
"I have to change" - let this come from within each one of us.
"I did not see any reference to any measure to curb this corroding evil in all the grandiose announcements of the Government."
Not surprising. You will also not see anything to curb the presence of criminals (including rapists) in our 'concerned' political parties. You see, when people are satisfied by inane platitudes and insincere resolutions, what is the incentive for the politicians to do something meaningful? Watch out for next election/parliament vote. Sonia Gandhi will be reaching out to these very same criminals for their support or giving them tickets. And it is not just Congress, but the eentire political class which does this. Why? Because these are the people we vote for.
Look to yourself, to your family, friends and social circle to make a change.
What is the use of law when law makers and law enforcers are lawless? They always think and do that they are above law. Only people of the country suffer and will continue to suffer under the system which has been corrupted by these people to the core and they dont respect the Judiciary even. We have eminent lawyers who will help such people in the courts to get away from any charges and how true that every body in this country has a price. Every Indian is a commodity with a price tag! True Indians should rise and save the country and society! Will they?
One girl has died today and so many are dying every day in the country and who cares? Do we? If part of us dies for all these girls, then we are already dead - dead mentally and morally. We cannot rest in peace!
I shed tears for this beloved girl who left this world because there was none to help her at the time of her agony. How can any human being do this to a helpless, defenceless girl?
Some ask why God didn't help her. I say, God perhaps even thought why even keep her in this evil world and so he took her home to heaven. I believe she is resting in peace in the abodes of heaven. She has done no wrong to bring this evil on her. May God comfort her family. Indian men, stop celebrating new year. Go and mourn her death. Introspect your soul.
Do not stop the girl from going out, stand by her and support.
Discipline the sons by grooming them on ethical values.
The family should disown such Sons of the Soil.
Failing such families should be expelled from the society.
This tragic incidence calls upon each one of us to reflect what kind of society we are living in. This case has only acted as a tipping point.There are numerous crimes happening every moment through out the nation.The root cause is the rotten mentally which is deep rooted in our society.Male domination, patriarchy, dowry, female foeticide etc are a few keywords.Today each one of us needs to introspect that whether we also have been a part of all this in one way or the other.All mothers have to teach there sons to respect women, all sisters have to ensure that their brothers don't eve tease anybody and all fathers have to become a role model for their sons.Schools need to teach stories of glorious women like Rani jhansi bai.Our cinema/media needs to become more sensitive to the content of movies and advertisements.There has to be a social movement to stop portraying women as showpieces/weak.
WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY AN INDIAN THINKS......
While this incident has awakened the people of India, why not use this
opportunity to reopen and fast tracking all the cases. Remember the
cases of Nayana Pujari (who was raped and murdered three years ago that
happened in Pune,) Ruchika Girhotra who was driven to suicide in
Chandigarh? etc. Why not consider only death penalty / capital
punishment for these criminals irrespective of their age.
From the above discussion it is evident that the fountainhead of all
these evils stem from the pernicious bribes/hafta/ mamool whatever one
calls. Hence a strong INDEPENDANT (IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE TERM
)LOKPAL BILL IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR.
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