Anti Rape Bill

 Since the incident of infamous Delhi gang rape happened almost everybody was demanding a strong bill against sexual assault on women. The government also was quick enough to form a committee to suggest about the changes in the present law. They were again in a hurry to formulate a bill not entirely based on the recommendation of the committee. Everybody in the country including all the political parties including the ruling and the opposition started discussing about the bill. Even all the channels of television did not miss the opportunities and they also were quick enough to have panel discussion on the subject for days together.

Ruling party i.e. the government has very cleverly diverted the attention of the citizens of the country from the burning issues. Now nobody is discussing about the inflation, price rise, corruption etc. which are the problems of the common man of the country. Poor are unable to sustain as the prices of essential commodities has gone beyond their reach and hence poor are becoming poorer. Corruption is at its peak, name a scheme and there is some scam. Only thing is that in some of the scheme it has been unearthed and in the rest it is yet to be unearthed. Law and order situation is very bad. Nobody in the country feels safe.

Now coming to the original issue of anti rape bill, some of the political parties are supporting the bill and the rest is opposing. Congress, Left are supporting but Samajvadi Party of Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav,  RJD of Mr. Lalu Yadav and TMC of Ms Mamta Banerjee are opposing it. Today only in morning I was watching a news item which was elaborately discussing about the molestation of a lady in the train by an ex-MP of Samajvadi Party who has been again given ticket by the party for 2014 election. Such people are our law maker sitting in the parliament, what we can expect from them.

Today in the parliament main topic of discussion was regarding lowering age of consensual sex from 18 yrs to 16 yrs. All our honourable members of parliament were discussing about it, some in favour and some against it. Inspite of my best efforts I could not understand how lowering the age of consensual sex from 18 yrs to 16 yrs will be a deterrent for rape. Why the necessity was felt to lower the age? What way it will help the society? What relevance it has with the rape?

After the incident of Delhi gang rape, I find that all the news papers are full of incident of sexual assault on women. I do not understand whether such incidents has increased or reporting has increased. If the incident has increased one must think what has happened to the people of our country. Government must also think, what lesson they have learnt from the Delhi gang rape incident. What measures they have taken, which has acted as catalyst and the incidents have increased. If the reporting has increased, then one must think about the news papers we read. Why such incidents were not reported earlier? Why they were not giving importance to such sensitive issues? What has now suddenly happened?

In my opinion if two measures are taken one each by us and the government the problem can be solved to a great extent.

In the family attitude towards the girl child has to be changed. I have seen in most of the family girl child is treated as inferior than the boy. Hence right from the beginning boys in the family consider themselves as superior than the girl. It is assumed that the sisters are supposed to serve their brothers. It is the duty of sisters to help their mother in the house hold jobs, where as the brothers even if they wish they are not allowed to do so. Girls are second class citizen in the family itself. Parents will not hesitate to spend any amount of money for educating their sons whether he is worth it or not but when the same situation will be for the daughters they will think many times. Think of the situation of marriage, I have very seldom seen boys parents going to the girl’s parents for a match. Boy’s parents expect that the girl’s parents will come to them and they will dictate the terms assuming that girl’s parents will not have any condition. When this is the situation in our society how the status of the women will improve.

Now coming to the government’s action, why it is so that police is so insensitive towards the crime against women. Why lodging of FIR is being delayed on one pretext or other? What actions against the police are being taken who are so insensitive towards the crime against women? It must be made mandatory to lodge the FIR by the police whether the crime is committed in the area of his jurisdiction or not. Subsequently the case can be transferred to the concerned police station. If any police is refusing to do so he should be charged for his inaction and FIR should be lodged against him for connivance. There should be a time bound action for filing charge sheet in the court. There should be fast track court for trial for such crimes.

Unless these actions are taken there will not be any change in the situation whatever the law is. Unless the enforcement of law is strict what is the use of having any law.