I remember the times four months back when someone my age was brutally gang raped, when she struggled hard for her life for thirteen odd days, when thousands of men and women protested day and night on streets against it, when peaceful people praying for her recovery were lathicharged and water cannoned by the coldhearted Delhi police and when the anger of people literally came out against the indifferent government and its officials in a very very long time.
I cried a lot then, a lot....for her, for me, for every other girl/woman who unfortunately, yes unfortunately belongs to this country I live in. However somewhere in the back of my mind it was convincing to see the awakened masses on roads resisting the gruesome act, demanding justice for her and protection for their own sisters, daughters and friends. I was a little hopeful then that may be things would change for the better. Every day I used to sit glued to the TV to keep track of her health. I wanted her to live and inspire and fight. But, no she died. Every politician and policeman promised that her sacrifice would not be futile, that they would soon come up with stricter laws, that the culprits would be severely punished.
Alas, as usual and as expected, everything went in vain! I see no amendments in Criminal law bill, I see no stern punishment yet being given to those six savages, I see no measures being taken to curb the menace. That little hope I had was mercilessly exterminated.What all I see now is increasing number of rapes in the country, particularly in the capital. WHAT I SEE IS A 5 YEAR OLD RAPED REPEATEDLY BY HER NEIGHBOR.WHAT I SEE IS HUMANITY BEING ASSAULTED ALL OVER AGAIN WITH UTTER SHAMELESSNESS! IS THIS THE CULTURE WE'RE ALWAYS PROUD OF?
When the Delhi gang rape happened, I heard a lot of well-educated and generally sensible people saying, “She shouldn't have been out after 8, that too with a male friend, in a place like Delhi", "She should have been sensible to stay home after dark”. Then came ‘expert’ comments from khaps and other 'eminent' politicos-"Girls should not wear provocative clothes”,” Age of marriage should be further reduced to 16","Rape happens not in traditional Bharat but in westernized India", not to forget the dented-painted remark and Aasharam Bapu's 'Bhaiya' theory. To all these people and those who say “She deserved it”, “She invited it all by herself” -WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THE FIVE-YEAR-OLD? WAS SHE RESPONSIBLE FOR HER OWN RAPE?A FIVE-YEAR-OLD-KID? Should she be blamed for playing provocatively, wearing provocative frocks and in general, existing provocatively on earth instead of getting aborted in the womb?
It boils my blood to know that a bottle and candles were retrieved from her body, to learn a policeman bribed her father with 2000 rupees to not file an FIR, to see a policeman telling her family that they should be thankful that the girl is alive, to see a policeman slapping a protesting girl. I am filled with immense rage and fury. I want to scream out loud, very loud, loud enough to break the earth into pieces.HOW INSENSITIVE CAN A MAN BE?
Truly speaking I never had expectations from politicians. How can one expect them to frame tougher laws with the likes of Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Gopal Kanda and N D Tiwari being the MP themselves. I never had faith in the police. They are more barbaric than animals. I am flabbergasted by their insensitivity towards the society. I only had hope in you, the people. But the callousness of the first two P’s has badly thrashed the third P. Sadly,no lessons were learnt from Nirbhaya’s case. I am dried of all hope! I am sacred to the core. And this time I have absolutely nothing to say except that it is now I realize why my parents are always over-protective for me. No reforms or mindset change can happen in this great country of ours. I can trust nobody(exceptions apart) from the autowallah to the neighbor next door. THANKYOU for giving me a whole new bout of fear (of EVERYTHING) all over again. Good going my fellow noble countrymen. Just well done!
Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
A teary-eyed ,really scared girl in India
PS:BTW Dear Khaps,planning to reduce the age of marriage to 5?Ehhh 5 months would be better,no?
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