WHERE WE, AS A SOCIETY, HEADING? (09/03/2018)

(Courtesy: Delhi Times, 10/03/2018)

The issue of rise in rape crime featured prominently this weekend on the International Woman Day. On way to office I came across a long human chain at the Connaught protesting against increase in crime against women, especially increase in rape, despite public furor after the Nirbhaya rape case just a couple of years back, that had galvanized a whole nation and brought out our political dispensation from deep slumber. During these years while the Nirbhaya fund remains unutilized, political dispensation have went back into slumber and crime against women, especially rape of minors, have increased manifold. We as a society remain mum or at best have protested in tokenism. This is a dangerous trend- a society so insensitive which draws pleasure in clicking pictures of people in distress rather than extending a helping hand. And the ruling dispensation knows well that after a photo shoot of a human chain on the International Woman Day people will disperse and so will their commitment and sensitivity to grave social problems such as rape of minors and other crimes against women. Government come into power across the country capitalizing on emotional issues such as a pledge to save “Ma, Manush and Maati” ('माँ, मानुष और माटी") but fail to come to the rescue of its citizens once ensconced in the seats of power. Government coin slogan such as 'बेटी बचाओ बेटी पढ़ाओ but it remains a fact that status of women and rape crimes in states like Haryana have increased in recent times. The chanters of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” do not question their government once it comes to power. Recently, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh reacting to the gang rape of a teenager- an UPSC aspirant said that “children should be educated about ‘good touch and bad touch’. In a savage age in which we live presently, the CM forgot that time has come where the need is to educate his police force that refused to lodge a FIR in the first instance. It is simply churlish that our leading politician are still talking about the need of educating children whereas the whole society that we find around looks the other way and does not help a girl in distress as reported a number of times in recent times. The “India Today” carried a report on illicit trafficking of girls in Varanasi. The moot point is just chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” will not help in tackling this social issue politically. We must stop scoring political points over social issues. The society must boycott this trend. The problems lies with the society where the family ties have weakened, the joint family system has broken down and people move to an alien land in search of job. When this happens as in present times, one is least bothered of any crime taking place next door so long as it does not affect them. This ostrich like attitude of the society has helped in increase in crime against women. We need to redefine our priorities as a society. We need to stop this blame game. The society needs to come out in open against such criminals and also pressurize the system to establish a mechanism to ensure that instant justice is delivered. This is a social issue that needs to be tackled socially. No politics here!