The writer is a syndicated columnist and a former member of India’s Rajya Sabha
True, rape cases take years before sentences are pronounced. But this time, both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the all-powerful Congress President Sonia Gandhi announced that the perpetrators would be brought to justice quickly. Even fast-track courts have been promised to deal with such offenses. A probe committee was appointed to look into the gamut of the gang rape and a commission has also been appointed, under the chairmanship of former chief justice of India JC Verma, to suggest changes to rape laws and the quantum of punishment.
However, the government has still not realised that the coming out of boys and girls from the upper class to voice their protest has given a different message — a message that questions the system itself. The students do not belong to any political party nor are they pegged to any ideology. What happened in Delhi and other cities indicates the system’s failure. The government proves its ineptness all the time and political parties, except putting balm on one another, have no influence to stop even their own cadres from indulging in criminal activities. The students belonging to well-off families have to go beyond demonstrations and join politics to clean up the mess, which the ruling party and the opposition have created by focusing all their attention on mere electoral advantages. It is a hard task for the students to introduce values to the political system, which is controlled by the politician-police nexus. Values once lost are difficult to retrieve. But this has to be done because there is no alternative.
The biggest support to the politicians is the police, which are supposed to maintain law and order. The force has to be purged of sycophants and sluggish elements. But for that to happen, the police have to be made independent so that they are free from pressure exerted by politicians. Punjab and Haryana are the two worst states where the police force has become a private army of chief ministers.
One recent example tells the story of Punjab. The ruling Akali Dal sees to it that its members are not touched even if they commit heinous crimes. The worst case is that of a girl from Patiala, who was raped and could not get the attention of police till she committed suicide. For 14 days, not even a FIR was entertained and for 43 days, no action was taken till the media brought the tragedy to light. Some junior functionaries have been dismissed since but that is not enough. Some heads at the top should roll. In Kerala, 16 years ago, a girl was raped by 52 people for 40 days. She is 32 now but her rapists continue to be society’s honourable members. None has been touched so far.
The students can overhaul the system provided they continue to fight against the privileged. The way in which they came out on the streets of Delhi indicates that they want to break from the shackles of the past and bring down the politicians from the thrones they occupy. But when the youth goes back to its cosy life, it endangers even the tiny light of hope which it kindled at Delhi.
Meanwhile, the media has to re-examine its role. It has done a tremendous job in exposing the omissions and commissions of rules. But some newspapers and television channels have used lewd material to improve their target rating points. Self-regulation is the best course but when a section of the media plays up the sex angle, making women a commodity, it is time to consider steps to control sensationalism.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 9th, 2013.
COMMENTS (5)
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@john b :- for your kind information instead of beliving police version plz check other sources , he has died of haert attack running after protesters and students (young man and girl from manipur) taken him to hospital. Powerful govt(for their own citizens only) tried to malignevery non violent movement at each and every turn. why govt taken victim to singapore amidst secrecy , why her family pressurised to cremate her immediately,why her name is not publicised even her family has no objection.
There are a number of issues linked to the prevalent situation - things are not black & white.
Firstly, Politicians are a part of the problem therefore cannot be a part of solution .
Next, efficiency of the police needs to be delinked with the amount of reported crime in their areas of jurisdiction. We need to accept that there will be issues of law & order with such a large population. I maintain that there still are honest cops , they cannot function because of the fact that their survival is in the hands of politicians. their efficiency is gauged by the FIRs registered - naturally they then play along with the politicians & do not register cases.
Cops need fixed tenures , de linking with local / state Politicians and a paradigm shift in reporting of cases.
The policeman died of a heart attack. Whether the death was contributed to by the strain of handling a demonstration is not known but in any case, it's not difficult to believe that some Delhi policemen are in poor health.
Its great to see there is better hope if the cases could be fast tracked for rape victims in india. Alas, on our side of the border, we have people like Muawar Hasan aka Hudood Ordinance who claim that Quran asks for the current form of Hudood Ordinance implemented. If this is the head of a party, imagine the rest of the situation in the land of the pure.
Sad to note that the author is deliberately silent on the subject of the dead policeman that the same student movement mauled to death.
There is a fine line between protest and anarchy and the student movement crossed that line when they scaled the walls and killed the policeman. I am sure opportunistic elements infiltrated the student movements but hopefully it is a lesson for the future.
The problem of youth not entering into politics is universal. They are always active voters, protestors, and rally attenders but rarely enter into leadership position politics.
I personally think that youth during their life is not fiscally and socially independent to enter and face the political battle.
Strong financial independence (resource) is essential to participate in politics and here lies the problem. This leaves only those who are fiscally strong or Who have established political backing with fiscal resources. A student or young graduate cannot participate in politics while his wife or husband and their children are starving at home. That is the reality all over the world.
It takes a lot of money and time to convince a handful of voters to a candidates view or party position and patience, perseverance, time and above all money, a lot of it, are needed. This invariably leads to career politicians, and their nepotism of candidates, usually immediate or related family members and wealthy individuals in traditional politics who have time and money to spare.