A tattered umbrella in the rain
Govt has promulgated an ordinance intending to award the death penalty to child rapists when the debate on capital punishment is yet to reach a logical end. The country is witnessing an environment where even the opponents of capital punishment will find it difficult to object. After the brutal rape and murder of an eight year old girl in Kathua, multitude of such cases the are being reported across the country. Newspapers are knocking at the door, their articles filled with rape and murder.
In the Nirbhaya case an adult woman was raped, but now, people are cursed to read the reports of rape of an eight month old female infant. The govt doesn’t seem to have the wherewithal to prevent this. After the Kathua horror, such kind of articles are all you see on the front pages of the papers. Internationally too, it is damaging India’s reputation. International leaders including UN chief, António Guterres are condemning the Govt. of India.
In such trying times, the one way the Govt has found to fend off international criticism is to propagate the said ordinance. This ordinance has evoked mixed responses across the country; particularly the clause that suggests capital punishment for raping the girls under 12.
Is it the assumption of the Govt that raping girls above 12 is okay? What is the difference between brutes who rapes an 11 year old and 13 year old?
The law states that it is a criminal offence to marry a girl below 18 years. Even sex with consent with minors is in the ambit of rape. In such a context is it not a heinous crime if a brute rapes and murders a girl above 12?
Though the extent of punishment for the rape against girls above 12 has been increased, it fails to provide effective punishment to the violence perpetrated.
In a country like India the rape is essentially an attack on the very dignity of a woman. The perpetrator need not be lust filled character. Rape has been used as a tool to destroy the character , personality and deny a woman’s right to live in this country. This is not merely a physical attack, but a psychological attack too. Yes, even if a man’s limbs and hands are severed, he can yet live a dignified life in Indian society.
But if a raped woman tries to lead an honorable life, there are further attacks on her. Our legal system perceives rape as mere physical violence, the culprits manage to escape from the clutches of law easily. But the woman continues to be punished in various manner throughout her life. Whether the accused is punished or not, the society ensures that the victim is punished with a “Life sentence”.
In such a scenario, A rape is part of manslaughter to destroy the right to live and a ruthless design to destroy her individuality and personality. In other words, rape is a much gruesome crime than murder that impacts women. The country has seen how the upper strata had used rape to oppress dalits. Khairlanji is a classic example of such an act. This was not only a crime against a family, but also was a warning, for the rest of the dalit community.
During the Gujarat communal violence, rape was not only inflicted by lustful men. Even in Kathua, the perpetrators of the crime against a hapless child of eight were not only driven by lust, they were also communal fanatics. Their cruel violence was not only against a female, but against a community. Let us not be fooled to believe that after this ordinance, hordes of criminals accused of rape will be hanged in a row.. If we look at the conviction rate of the existing law, we will be deeply disappointed.
It is obvious that law and order has failed miserably in handling sensitive cases like rape. Recently The Govt has tried to dilute an existing Law under the pretext that it is being misused. While the atrocities against Dalits are increasing day by day, the Govt has not deemed it fit to see if the law is being implemented effectively. Instead it is showing unusual haste in diluting the act. With such a context how are we to feel assured that the Govt will push for a serious act for rape too?
Even the judiciary has worried more about misuse of women's safety laws,rather than worrying about its effective implementation.
There is an anti Dowry act, yet has it succeeded in stopping Dowry?
In crimes against children, the case should be registered instantly and the evidence should be collected posthaste. But the country witnessed just how this was thwarted in Kathua. Initially the case was hushed up;The Police had declared that no rape was committed. Only after a special investigation. the horrendous crime was brought to light.
The lawyers had taken to streets and urged that a charge sheet should not be presented against the accused.
In such a society, Is it easy to prove the rape against the children?
When a Govt is indirectly involved in hushing up the crime, and the Prime Minister of a country maintains a studied silence on that, how do we believe that the present Ordinance will be a deterrent to rape in a way?
It is as if the Govt providing a tattered umbrella when it is raining cats and dogs.
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Mann has 'understanding' with Amit Shah to split AAP after Lok Sabha polls, claims SAD chief Badal
Sangrur (Punjab), May 11: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has an "understanding" with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to split AAP into a separate Punjab unit after the elections, like Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde did in Maharashtra, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal claimed on Saturday.
Badal made the claim while addressing rallies at Sunam and Dhuri for the Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) Sangrur candidate Iqbal Singh Jhundan.
"Bhagwant Mann has compromised with the BJP as he felt he would also be arrested like his boss (Arvind) Kejriwal because he had also perpetrated the same liquor scam as done by AAP in Delhi. This understanding has saved him from arrest," Badal alleged.
Shiv Sena leader Shinde became Maharashtra chief minister after parting ways with Uddhav Thackeray and forming an alliance with the BJP.
The Election Commission of India has since recognised the Shinde faction as officially representing the Shiv Sena while the Thackeray-led faction has been using the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) name.
The Shiromani Akali Dal chief also asserted that no Delhi-based party can be trusted with votes.
"Bhagwant Mann has opened channels with both the BJP and the Congress to hedge his bet. While he has an informal understanding with the BJP, he has also aligned with the Congress in Punjab and is putting up a friendly fight in most constituencies," Badal said.
He cited how AAP is contesting against the Congress in Punjab but Mann has been campaigning for the grand old party in Chandigarh and Haryana.
AAP and the Congress are constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc. While the two parties are contesting the Lok Sabha elections independently in Punjab, they have an alliance in Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana and Chandigarh.
Urging Punjabis to "seal the borders" for all Delhi-based parties, Badal said, "The AAP government in Punjab and the Union government colluded to prevent our farmers from marching to Delhi. This led to firing of tear gas shells at our farmers and even firing of rubber bullets. Now it is your turn to seal the borders of Punjab with your votes."
He also made a case for trusting the Shiromani Akali Dal -- a home-grown party of Punjab.
Badal said the Shiromani Akali Dal has always stood for safeguarding the interests of Punjab and decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections alone when it became clear that the BJP was not ready to resolve any of the pending grievances of the farmers or the Sikh community.
He also announced that once the Shiromani Akali Dal is elected to power, it will release tubewell connections to all agriculturists who do not have a single connection in their name.
He also promised that all social welfare schemes that have been curtailed by successive Congress and AAP governments would be revived in totality.
