A Gang-rape Which Shook The Indian Soul

By Sandeep Datta

A pall of gloom and anger overwhelmed the Indians as they learned about the gang-rape of a 23-year-old woman in south Delhi by six beasts on Dec 23, 2012.

The barbaric attack on the woman who was all set to marry in two months along with her fiance shocked the country while stirring the Indians' soul. People turned anguished over the administrative and executive system that exist in the name of Delhi government and Delhi police.

People have many unanswered questions from this system and their chosen leaders who enjoy life in high security while making a mockery of common man's life. The citizens want to know if their daughters, sisters or even mothers are living in a country or jungle where any group of beasts could pounce on any weak creature.

Regardless of tall claims of beefing up security measures or introducing 'stringent' punishments, people are now compelled to think if their lives or security has any meaning at all to 'their' leaders or not? For all know, tomorrow it could be their own daughter or sister meeting the same fate as this woman from Uttar Pradesh met. 

People are shocked at the extent of barbarism of six individuals who went mad to satisfy their sexual desire and  assaulted the physio-therapy student and her fiance in a moving bus on a chilling night.

Shockingly, one of the rapists who was most brutal in inserting even an iron rod to make the helpless woman's misery terrible, can today escape maximum punishment under the law under which he is 'a juvenile'.   

It these six individuals could cross all limits of savageness while beating, raping, inserting rod and taking turns to rape the woman, why cannot the judiciary act as per its discretion and make it an exemplary case of punishmen? People wish to know.

The incident has evoked a strong public angst against the existing law and order system. Even after 20 days the anguish is still there and visible not just on Jantar Mantar but in every household.

Almost every other day more news of gang rapes are filling crime pages of dailies. From elderly to kids, who is not getting raped. Surely, individuals are daring to rape because they have no fear.

When the youth hit streets to seek justice and question the state of governance, they were treated like rioters or enemies of  the country. Can there be anything more shameful?    

On the very first day of the protest while it was very difficult to reach offices or leave quilts at home due to chill outside, about four thousand college and school students gathered at Vijay Chowk, near Rashtrapati Bhavan. They wanted to express their long-suppressed anger over the prevailing conditions in Delhi. 

It was heartening to watch how police acted on justice seekers despite extreme cold. They went berserk in the name of controlling the largely student crowd at India Gate and Vijay Chowk. 

Forceful water cannons to baton-charging were used to silence the youngsters and discourage them from letting the issue become a national protest. It would be naive to suggest or believe that the police' callousness could have taken place without a go-ahead from the top man, responsible to ensure no revolutionary movement in the country.

The government knew an escalation of public outrage over the fate of rapists could have a ripple effect on the upcoming elections, particularly 2013 Delhi Assembly elections and the parliamentary polls due in 2014.

Various political leaders, fancying their chances of turning masses' leaders, were shooed off by youngsters-dominated crowd during its peak while the poor rape victim was struggling on ventilator for life.  

The Indian Supreme Court is yet to take Suo Motto cognigance of police brutality to quell a growing crowd of protesters and its accountability for failing to prevent a gang-rape on road. But the attitude of a group of people in not extending even a piece of cloth on the naked and brutally beaten couple when they were found thrown on a road has also been equally shameful.  

Though the victim woman could not last long despite a determined effort to survive and seek justice, her struggle to live and courage to record her statement twice before officials have shaken the countrymen's soul. 

The future of our country -- the youth -- have raised a strong voice on India's Rajpath. They seek clarity on citizens' security not just in the capital but also in every nook and corner of the country be it Haryana, U.P. Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Goa or any part of the North East states, the country's sisters, daughters and children need safe place to exist. They cannot be left fend for themselves in a jungle full of such hungry beasts. 

While people are expected to rethink their "who cares" psyche, if they expect any help tomorrow from others, citizens wish to know what exemplary punishment the Congress-led government can ensure that such a heinous crime is not repeated anywhere. 

Youngsters and parents have questioned the deaf and dumb system in the national capital of a democratic country. They have sought explanation from Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar, Lt. Governor Tejendra Khanna and also Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and lastly the father of three girls, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. 

They wish to know what these individuals will feel and expect from the system if tomorrow their school or college-going daughter, or working or household wife or even a little granddaughter is subjected to the harrowing experience of gang rape?. 

Even today not just the protesters, but parents and children in every household want a strong system to punish such barbarian criminals at the earliest. Some want death, some want not so easy death but chemical castration, or anything equally brutal. There are millions of voices, but the government wants to play safe.

Had their been some equally brutal system of punishment against such crimes like it exists in Saudi Arabia, no individual could dare even touch a woman at any time of the day. 

Hence, the people now want to know the extent of justice today's politicians and police system intend to ensure against such criminals, adult or so called juvenile before the Janta Janardan, the general public, begins deciding things on its own from next time onward.  

                                           शब्दों  की  महत्वता  और  टूटते  रिश्ते

दिसंबर 30, 2012

ये शब्दों  की  दुनिया है।  शब्दों  की  गरिमा  को  समझना कितना ज़रूरी हो चला है। पर वहीँ जो लोग इस बात को अभी तक नहीं समझ पाए , उनको उनके शब्दों की चुभन और असर का एहसास करा पाना कितना मुश्किल सा है।

हमारे रिश्ते शब्दों से ही तो बनते और बिगड़ते हैं। पर कितने लोग अभी तक समझ पाए हैं। फिर भी व्यंग भरी भाषा का प्रयोंग नहीं छोड़ते। वैसे ही अब सच्चे रिश्ते नहीं बन पते, जो बने हों उनकों हमारे चुभने वाले शब्द ज्यादा साँसे लेने नहीं देते। घृणा, व्यंग, आलोचना, ये सब रिश्तों की बर्बादी का कारण बनते चले जाते हैं और हम ज़रा सा कभी सोचते भी नहीं। आखिर क्यों?

रिश्ते नाते बहुत मुश्किल से बनते हैं क्या हम उन्हें यूँ ही ख़त्म करते जायेंगे?

काश लोग कुछ भी बोलने से पहले सोचते और अपने प्रियजनों से सोच समझकर वार्तालाप करते। दिक्कत तब होती है जब लोग लोग पहले तो कुछ भी कह जाते हैं और बाद में बिना गलती की गहराई का एहसास किये माफ़ी मांगना शुरू कर देते हैं।

माफ़ी तब मांगी जाती है जब वो दिल से शर्मिंदगी को व्यक्त करती हुई लग रही हो तभी वो माफ़ी सही मायने में क्षमा योग्य होती है।  

Baruah the great!

By Sandeep Datta

It was Baruah's farewell today. The event was being planned for last 20 days. Should it be turned a big thing or small one was the main subject for Foreign Desk all these days.

The main thing which was consistently taking away the joy of organising a good send-off was Baruah's behaviour with everyone since getting into one-month notice-period of resignation. He turned sarcastic, extremely lazy and more pain in the arse for his team, including the boss, more than he had always been. 

When the day arrived, I, who was perhaps closest to him, had lost any interest in him. He was back in his typical self -- selfish, insensitive and insulting to anyone and everyone around him. It felt disappointing to see a person completing his over five years in IANS having failed to learn the value of peers.

On the final moment, when it was his turn to deliver the farewell speech following euologies by his immediate boss Dr. Rahul and M.R. Narayanswamy, Baruah opted to do what was least expected of him. 

He thanked MR and all others in the office except his Rahul or his colleagues. When pointed out, 'in lighter vein', that he forgot even Rahul in his word of thanks, he said: "Main to bhool he gaya"!

His last question on the last working day with me was: "Why people don't like to share the information they have about any development happening around and known to them? Even after staying together for whole day one of my close friends, who has enjoyed Daru from me at times and had a very good time having fun together, didn't bother telling me that Assam's chief minister was arriving in Delhi. Why did he do so Sandeep?" 

 I told Baruah, who is all set to join as 'Bureau Chief' till the right person is found for the post in the Seven Sisters, an Assam-based daily,: "Brother, In media or life...good and trustful relations are nurtured on the basis of sincerity with others and not with over smartness.We have to show a sincere attitude to others to evoke an equally favourable or helping response later. And, always remember Media is a small industry what goes around that comes around."  

Maybe he couldn't get the moral of the story.