From The Editor’s Desk: The Delhi Gangrape verdict, which sentenced all four convicts to death, has marked a new beginning in the fight vs crime against women. The judgment may not change the mindset of people, who are having a diseased mindset, but it will encourage the women to stand up and fight for justice. It’s an irony that the juvenile accused escaped with just three years at a reform home even though he was more brutal than others during the crime.
The nation of 1.2 billion people woke up after the incident occurred on that fateful night of December 16. The national outrage, media trial and a hostile opposition forced the government to come up with a strict law, which still have a lot of loopholes. Did the law help in curbing the incidents of rape? Not at all!
The series of rapes, which continue unabated across the country, clearly shows that law cannot create fear within the criminals. Everyone knows that committing a murder may lead them to the gallows. But, that does not guarantee safety for any individual. The same applies to rapists too, who dare to roam around irrespective of the time, place or situation. They just can’t resist their temptation at the sight of a young girl or woman. For them, consequences matter the least. There is a demand for death sentence or chemical castration for all rapists. But, again, there is no consensus over this.
From Mahakalapada and Salia Sahi in Bhubaneswar to gangrape of a Photo Journalist in Mumbai, there is no let up in rape cases. When a self-styled godman like Asaram is being accused of sexual assault on a minor girl, how on earth we can believe that our women can tread without any fear? When India’s capital city Delhi records 1,121 rape cases in the last 8 months despite the massive outrage over ‘Nirbhaya’ rape case, it’s very tough to expect any changes overnight.
The cops have a different story to tell. They believe this is a good sign, as the women now dare to report the rape cases whereas they chose to remain silent over the years. The logic cannot be dismissed outright though. If that is the case, then we can brace for a new beginning in the country.
What we need right now – alert cops, fearless women and vigilant public. The role of media holds the key to put pressure on the cops, administration and government. The Delhi gangrape verdict showed us that getting justice is not impossible if the women dare to take on. If every rape victim or their relatives decide to air their protest in public and take the legal route to fight against the crime, the day won’t be too far when we see a drop in such cases and probably a rape-free India after a few years!
