The Death That Could Have Been Avoided
Christened as Nirbhaya, Damini and Amanat by the Indian media, the 23-year old gang-rape victim breathed her last at a hospital in Singapore after days of endless agony. The brave heart who displayed a remarkable courage and will power to live despite all the suffering she was in, alas, lives no more. She gave her statement to the police, not once, but twice to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. But her pains have so far fallen on the deaf ears of our government and the police.
The gruesome incident, no matter how shameful, is a stark reminder of how our society has changed in recent times. From a culture that revered and venerated women, we are now at a time when such perverted acts of violence are being increasingly reported, not even sparing a two-and-a-half year old. Politicians, meanwhile, revel in making insensitive comments without having an iota of the grief the victim's kin must be undergoing. And the police in demonstrating a chilling coldness once again by not even bothering to take any sort of action against the rapists.
There can be no words to explain the agony of the victim's family. While I can empathize with them, my only wish is that this incident serves as a clarion call for stringent action. She is doubtless one of the hundreds (or thousands) of women, men and children who are sexually assaulted, raped and brutally harmed in our society and their collective voice for justice shouldn't be stifled due to our negligence.
To be honest, we cannot simply blame the system for all this. It's us who created them. It's us who voted these callous politicians to power. Hence WE, as the general public, need to be more responsible citizens and make sure we elect the right person to govern the system we have in place. Also it doesn't matter if the victim is known to us or not, let's make sure we go out and help him (or her) in their time of need. It's high time we start caring about the society at large instead of just our close circle of family and friends.
And finally, a word on our National Pledge. It's not enough to recite this in our school assemblies and on days of national importance, and then forget about it. Every Indian needs to follow it with utmost sincerity and abide by them:
India is my country and all Indians are my brothers and sisters.
The gruesome incident, no matter how shameful, is a stark reminder of how our society has changed in recent times. From a culture that revered and venerated women, we are now at a time when such perverted acts of violence are being increasingly reported, not even sparing a two-and-a-half year old. Politicians, meanwhile, revel in making insensitive comments without having an iota of the grief the victim's kin must be undergoing. And the police in demonstrating a chilling coldness once again by not even bothering to take any sort of action against the rapists.
There can be no words to explain the agony of the victim's family. While I can empathize with them, my only wish is that this incident serves as a clarion call for stringent action. She is doubtless one of the hundreds (or thousands) of women, men and children who are sexually assaulted, raped and brutally harmed in our society and their collective voice for justice shouldn't be stifled due to our negligence.
To be honest, we cannot simply blame the system for all this. It's us who created them. It's us who voted these callous politicians to power. Hence WE, as the general public, need to be more responsible citizens and make sure we elect the right person to govern the system we have in place. Also it doesn't matter if the victim is known to us or not, let's make sure we go out and help him (or her) in their time of need. It's high time we start caring about the society at large instead of just our close circle of family and friends.
And finally, a word on our National Pledge. It's not enough to recite this in our school assemblies and on days of national importance, and then forget about it. Every Indian needs to follow it with utmost sincerity and abide by them:
India is my country and all Indians are my brothers and sisters.
I love my country and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage.
I shall always strive to be worthy of it.
I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders respect and treat everyone with courtesy.
To my country and my people, I pledge my devotion. In their well-being and prosperity alone, lies my happiness.
In a way the protests that we witness today in Delhi bears an uncanny resemblance to the events that unfolded an year before in 2011. The fight which was then for a strong Lokpal bill to tackle corruption, has now become a fight for a stronger law to send rapists to the gallows. Let's not for a moment forget the misery that our brothers and sisters have endured in fighting against these brutal barbarians. Let's see to it that their angst don't go down the drain.
In a way the protests that we witness today in Delhi bears an uncanny resemblance to the events that unfolded an year before in 2011. The fight which was then for a strong Lokpal bill to tackle corruption, has now become a fight for a stronger law to send rapists to the gallows. Let's not for a moment forget the misery that our brothers and sisters have endured in fighting against these brutal barbarians. Let's see to it that their angst don't go down the drain.
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