The Rage of the Nation

There always comes a time in history when it becomes difficult for the people to continue to bear the injustice and tyranny around them. It leads people to revolt against the existing system, demand justice and look for better governance. This time the history is being repeated in India. It all started with the movement against corruption led by the noted Gandhian, Anna Hazare. The movement and the initial response to it showed how people desperately want to get rid of the corruption that has been plaguing this country.

The rage against the injustice and lawlessness is now visible in the anti-rape protests going on in various parts of the country, right from Delhi to Manipur. It is not just a protest against the assault on a woman’s dignity, but a protest against the poor policing and lack lustre attitude of the government. India has been witnessing a spurt in crimes against women. The newspapers during the last few days have been carrying various statistics which verifies this trend. Indian women, it seems, are no longer safe in their own country. What kind of a society are we in, if we cannot even give respect to that gender which has given us birth? In the ancient days, women were considered sacred because of their ability to reproduce a new life. Where have those ideals gone?

The lawmakers of today are also very much insensitive to this issue. How can a female expect safety from a police officer who thinks that no rape happens unless the woman provokes the man? If the mentality of some police officers is such, then just guess what is the mentality of those sick people responsible for raping women.

The protests against rape are the outcome of years of subjugated emotions, years of “chalta hai” attitude, years of toleration. People now want justice, people now want their elected government to act and not just be meek spectators, people want that government exhibit its presence by punishing the guilty and instil confidence among its people.

Government has now constituted the Justice Verma Committee to recommend amendments to the existing laws related to this issue. As concerned citizens, we need to provide our suggestions to the committee. All of us may not be taking part in the protests, but we all are behind the victims of such brutal act. We have to contribute in whatever way possible so that such ghastly acts do not repeat again. Please send your suggestions at the following mail address: justice.verma@nic.in

I am planning to send the following suggestions to the committee:

1) A rape victim should be provided psychological counselling for a specific time period, which may be three months.

2) Death penalty should be awarded to guilty persons when the rape victim is a child below 5 years of age or if the victim has to stay in the hospital for more than 15 days.

3) The statement of a rape victim should always be taken by a female official and it should be videographed always.

Kindly provide comments if I can amend them further.

The nation is rising and so do we should be too.