Rapists have no right to live

  By Vijay Darda | 16-04-2018

Inhuman brutality inflicted on an eight-year-old girl sends chills down the spine. Incidents of rape are disgrace to the country.

It is so horrifying that an 8-year-old girl belonging to a nomadic tribe was kidnapped and brutally gang-raped for seven days and later murdered in the Kathua region of Jammu. But instead of hunting down the culprits, the administration was busy defending the guilty. Appallingly, two ministers and one MLA of the Bharatiya Janata Party which boasts of good governance and clean politics joined the rallies taken out to save the culprits. The lawyers of the Jammu Bar Association also left no stone unturned to stall the filing of chargesheet against the rapists.

The case of extreme brutality was given a shameless religious hue. The administration continued to watch the brutal incident as a mute spectator because those involved were BJP’s ministers, MLA and big politicians who tried to bake their political bread in the name of religion. They forgot that devils have no religion. It is beside the point which religion the victim of rape was from. The ostrich-like attitude of the administration, government and law-keepers deserves nothing but sheer contempt and all-round condemnation!

This incident of brutality with an innocent child took place in early January but the world came to known of it now. The police tried to suppress the matter, but when the scandal broke out in the media, an FIR was lodged against the guilty and the chargesheet was also filed. Now the Supreme Court has sought an explanation from Bar Council of Jammu and Kathua as to why the lawyers adopted such an attitude? Did the people who tried to save the criminals even once thought what agony they would have experienced had such an incident happened with any member of their family in place of that eight-year-old girl?

I am so disturbed by the news of such brutality. Rape for seven days on a child, rape even before killing! What the hell is going on in this country? What kind of law is there? Are criminals so bold and unafraid that there is no fear of law? After the Nirbhaya case, a strict law was passed but where is the fear of that law? As long as the ruling party people continue to defy the law and defend rapists, can anybody be afraid of law?

This is what happened in Uttar Pradesh too. The law was so badly trampled upon that the honesty of the government of Yogi Adityanath has come under the shadow of suspicion. A minor girl was a victim of rape. She clearly told the law enforcers that Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Kuldeep Sengar raped her. For the last six months, she continued to make the rounds of the police station hoping that report would be filed and the MLA would be punished for his action, but the police did not file the report against the legislator. When the girl tried to commit suicide in front of the Chief Minister’s residence in Lucknow, there was a hue and cry. The matter was raised in the media but the police remained shamelessly passive because it did not have the courage to take action against the ruling party’s legislator. Yogi Adityanath says that the law will take its own course but the law remained blind all the while!

Just look at the height of shamelessness of the police and the mockery of law. Instead of arresting the culprits who brutalized the girl, the police arrested the girl’s father. The father died in custody. Fourteen serious marks of wounds on his body provide ample evidence that police must have used third degree method with him while detaining him in custody! A few policemen were nominally suspended but this is nothing more than a formality! The government has handed over the case to the CBI. It is only when the High Court suo moto took cognizance of the matter and passed the order for the arrest of the MLA that the arrest took place! Can it be called the rule of law when it is being subverted to save criminals? On one hand, we celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, with respect, and on the other hand, the legislators of the ruling party continue to tamper with the Constitution drafted by him. What kind of democracy is this? Are these powerful people above the law and society? Is this a cultured and civilized government? It should be kept in mind that irrespective of his party affiliation, a criminal can not be above the law. The law should work with integrity.

In fact, the people of criminal character in every political party have acquired importance and have become effective leaders. Due to politics of votes, almost all political parties have become dependent on such criminals. This situation is very serious. Political parties should exclude such criminals from the party.

Now let’s look at some statistics of incidents of rape. Since not all cases of rape reach the police station, the actual number will be very high. This figure is only for reported cases. According to the National Crime Record Bureau, there were 37,000 rape cases reported in the country in 2016. Of these, 462 girls were under 6 years of age. 1474 girls were in the age group of 8 to 12, 5749 girls were in 12 to 16 years of age. 8295 girls of 16 to 18 years of age became victims of rapists. The incidents of rape have taken such horrendous proportions that the government and political parties will have to seriously consider how to wipe out the stigma on the country. There is no place for such monstrous acts in a civilized society.

While I’m completing this article, another big tragedy has occurred. A 11-year-old girl was raped and murdered in Gujarat. According to the news, 86 marks of injuries were found on her private parts. I am at a loss to understand why this sacred land of India is being tainted with such carnal crimes.

Before I conclude…

Anoop Khanna of Noida is gaining popularity on social media these days. After all, he is doing an extraordinary thing. One day his mother thought why poor people should not be served good food! And behold! Work started the next day. Beginning with 15 people, and three years later, they are feeding delicacies made in ghee for only 5 rupees per day to 500 poor people. And 5 rupees is charged just so that the honour of the poor does not get hurt! Many people have joined in this meaningful endeavour. ‘Dadi Ma Ki Rasoi’ offers food service from 12 noon to 2 pm daily.

INTRO

It is so gut-wrenching to think that an eight-year-old innocent girl was raped for several days and then killed. Clearly, it seems that there has been no effect of the stringent law that was passed in the wake of the Nirbhaya case to curb cases of rape and molestation. Despite introducing the stringent provisions of punishment for sexual offences, there is no fear of law in people with a wicked mindset. It is nothing but the defeat of governance, administration and law and order.

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