A crime's nothing but a crime
13 April 2018 4:55 PM GMT
"We have failed her as human beings." This is a statement from a fellow citizen who interestingly belongs to the ruling BJP government at the Centre. Yes, Vijay Kumar Singh, a former General, who oversaw many encounters, killings in many regions while he was at the helm, stated this while none of his colleagues who mattered the most, including Defence Minister, Foreign Minister, I&B Minister, Child and Development Minister (all are women Cabinet ministers) remained silent, when the news of Kathua and Unnao rape incidents splashed all over TVs and newspapers across the country. Most disturbingly, this is at a time when the nation celebrates when its daughters and sons are fighting to bring laurels for their motherland at the Commonwealth Games held in Australia. And this is also at a time when the country sees its deepest division not only in the corridors of power but also among the States with their selfish agendas. The question is not about who is right or who is wrong. The question is which direction is the country is heading towards.
In fact, both the incidents of Kathua and Unnao rape and murder are not isolated ones, even if we are looking at them differently from other similar cases. The incident of Kathua happened in January this year, and Unnao in June last year, which is almost 11 months from now. Though the news of the former came from time to time, it had never been a 'major' newsworthy information for most of the media houses. Both the incidents came to limelight only after the victim of Unnao incident tried to self-immolate in front of the residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister last Sunday and subsequently her father, too, being killed in police custody.
Call it a 'twist of fate', as being unfolded gradually; both the incidents have now become a major political controversy instead of speaking out for justice to the victims. The kidnapping, raping, and gruesome murder of the little eight-year-old girl, Asifa Bano, in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir has now been propagated as being done by Kashmir-centric politicians for their political mileage and lawyers even blocking the police of filing case against the accused people as they are 'Hindus'. What's more worrisome is the fact that those at the helm of powers, precisely two State Cabinet Ministers, openly support the accused.
While in Uttar Pradesh, even a Union Minister questioned the validity of the rape case by asking 'no one can rape a mother of three children'.
As we have observed in history, anthropology, sociology, and political science that this is a symptom of societal collapse sooner or later. Historians have warned over the centuries that societies that lose their sexual self-restraint soon decay and disintegrate. Edward Gibbon, author of 'The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," identified five marks of the Roman decaying culture: 1) art becoming freakish and sensationalistic instead of creative and original; 2) a widening disparity between the very rich and the very poor; 3) an increased demand to live off the state; 4) concern with displaying affluence instead of building wealth; and 5) obsession with sex and perversions of sex.
A division bench of the Bombay High court of Justice NH Patil and PD Naik on August 25, 2016, while refusing to quash a case lodged against 12 people on charge of attempt to murder and various other sections of the IPC observed that "Crime of 'serious nature' should be treated as crime against the society and not an individual and such a case cannot be quashed even if the offender and victims reach an amicable settlement."
No matter what and who you are …lawmaker, policeman, lawyer, a civilian or ideology; a crime should always be treated as a crime. No one is above law. Such savagery should be treated with an iron fist. Strict action must be taken no matter how influential they may be. Else, the country would be a laughing stock for the rest of the world.
Next Story
