21.12.2012- Came and Gone, but the world
survived.
Perhaps the damn Mayans were right; the
world is going to end.
We are alive; yes the humans are but
the humanity is dead, it had failed. A son killed his mother; a teacher molests
his student, a bride burnt, eve-teasing, gang rapes; are we still humans? Even
animals are better than us.
All the upbringing we've had, all the
education we've received, all the degrees we've collected - amounts to precious
little if at the end of the day, we behave like this, as wild beasts. Things
are not looking good - not for us, not for Delhi ,
not for India
The world is crumbling, not only outside Safdarjung
hospital or India Gate but everywhere. Thousands of people are protesting,
signing petitions, updating facebook statuses, writing to the PM - all to bring
justice to the accused. As always a blame war is also raging. The BJP's blaming
the Congress. The Congress is blaming Police force. The police force is blaming
the society. The society is blaming the party in power. Everyone is shifting
their baggage of responsibility to the next person.
They are also saying - measures are being put in
place. No more tinted windows, more patrolling, speedier case hearings. These
recommendations are desirable, and
indeed necessary, but they are post facto responses to these crimes, not
preventive measures. If what happens to women
on the roads– is to stop, the change will have to come first at home, from the
family. We must understand our responsibility, teaching history and
chemistry in schools is not what is called education. We should teach our
children humanity, how to live in this world, how to behave and respect.
Rape is the culmination
of a deep-seated hostility against the female gender that is ingrained in our
society. It isn't an
isolated act; its a chronic condition. And it begins when a female foetus is
formed in the womb and often killed for the sin of belonging to that gender; if
not there then on the roads after raping like this and if it survives this
brutal world then may be by her father or brother (protectors as they call) on
the name of honor and if she still endure then she will be on the mercy of her
in-laws, not to get burnt for dowry or for the desire of a male child.
Certainly cases of rape and other assaults on women
should be fast-tracked in special courts. The penalty for such crimes should be
made far more stringent. The law enforcement authorities must be sensitized on
how to deal with victims. The real truth is that the reducing rape statistics
will take time. But we must begin immediately. And we must have both soft and
hard approaches. Hard approach will help in healing the wounds of the victims
but soft approach is what will help in long term society development and to
change the psyche of this male dominated world.
