End of Humanity

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 and not for humanity.

 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.