Apr 18, 2024

Analysis

We have Raped and Killed Our Daughter!

by Dr. Gopal Singh

This morning I felt numb as I read the shocking news that “she” finally died.  Her miseries are over.  She no longer has to look up to us to maintain her safety, security and basic human dignity.  We have raped and killed our daughter!

It is time for self reflection!

What really happened?  Who were responsible?
  • Is it the six evil people who attacked her and raped her mercilessly?
  • Is it “her” who took undue risk in taking the bus ride late in the night?  Didn’t she know that being a woman in India she is not “entitled” to the fundamental rights as a citizen?  After all some our political leaders had the audacity to blame her indirectly?
  • Is it the bus driver who did nothing about it?
  • Is it the bystanders who in past rape cases not only do not get involved to rescue the victim during the incident but gather around and cheer?
  • Is it the law enforcement that is corrupt, ineffective and incompetent?
  • Is it our Court System that often lets the perpetrators go free with just a slap on the wrist?
  • Is it the administration that is corrupt, ineffective and incompetent?
  • Is it political leadership (not just the current Government) that is corrupt, ineffective and incompetent?
  • Is it the whole Nation (with its face smeared in black) that just lets it happen over and over and over again?
Now that it has happened again, we are saddened and angry.  We have taken to the streets to vent our anger.  We demonstrate and demand capital punishment to the people found guilty.  We want to teach them a lesson.  We demand new tougher laws against rapists.  As if the new laws will be enforced any better than the existing laws.  There is always room to improve on the existing laws.  But is that the real problem? 

How many of our members of Parliament and various State Assemblies are charged with rape, extortion and blackmailing against women?  Would they pass a new law against themselves?

This problem is deeper than just tougher laws and punishing the current offenders?  Don’t you see that the whole system is guilty?  We are part of it. 

After a few weeks of demonstration we will cool down and go back to our usual way of living.  The leadership and administration will talk tough, set up multitudes (not just two) of commissions, tribunals and committees to study the problem and recommend solutions.  Time will pass.  We will forget about the incident.  The tribunals will come up with lengthy and often conflicting reports and present them to the same “leaders”.  No concrete action will be taken. 

Until, the next Incident!  Then the whole process will start all over again.

What has happened in Delhi is a dramatic manifestation of repeated breakdown of our system of enforcement of our Constitution.  The problem is much deeper than just this rape incident.  There is no resolve, no willingness, no strength of character in our leadership and administration to govern our democracy per our Constitution. They are too corrupt, too weak and too selfish to do anything about the plight of our Nation. 


Unless we wake up and resolve personally on a sustained basis to get involved in bringing about the change in the current setup, it is only a matter of a few days or weeks before we wake up and read that another daughter of India was raped!!

If you are angry and agitated to read this (in favor or against), then there is still hope!
  

29-Dec-2012

More by :  Dr. Gopal Singh

Top | Analysis

Views: 3380      Comments: 2


Comment As other writers in this forum along with I have tried to point out, the problem is deeper than just this particular event. This event is one spontaneous manifestation of the deeper problem.

We are not all corrupt. Not by any imagination! Everyone desires to lead a peaceful life void of poverty and problems.

Our problem is that a great majority of those with money and power have hijacked our Democracy. They are using our venerable institutions for their personal gains with little regard for public (their constituents) good. This (over the past 40 years or so) has become the norm and the culture of our politics. This dements everything at every level including the public (the victims).

"We the people must hold the feet of the politicians to the fire. Let us show them that power ultimately lies in the hands of the people."

How do we do that? We need to understand our sustained role in making it happen. For instance, we would not need to hold their feet to the fire if we do not elect the rotten ones to begin with. How do we breakdown the hold of big political organizations (parties) with money and power to repeatedly exploit the public (particularly the underprivileged) to get their candidates (many with criminal charges and corrupt background) elected over and over again? Needless to say, there are many similar questions like it that need to be thought through.

Once we understand our role, we would be in better position to support any such efforts to change the current political setup in a meaningful way. This is long journey. We have to bring about systemic and cultural reforms.

drgopalsingh
29-Dec-2012 22:41 PM
Comment Dear Dr. Gopal Singh,

For 750 years Indians were ruled by Muslims then for another 200 plus years the British were our Masters until Gandhi and Nehru and a few other great Indians came by. We are a great and ingenious race of people who deserve great leaders and to say that the current crop of leaders are corrupt, ineffective and incompetent is just a euphemism! Has the entire leadership of our country evolved into a culture of corruption and bribery? Are we devoid of great leaders and thinkers? I don't think so. Unless the masses rise up and demand change now the future of our great nation is doomed. We the people must hold the feet of the politicians to the fire. Let us show them that power ultimately lies in the hands of the people.

Suraish Singh
29-Dec-2012 20:54 PM




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