The verdict is out, it’s a death sentence. And I am happy.
As a girl, I feel safer than I felt on December 16th, when the gory gang
rape had taken place. Ever since the rape case and its gory details were put in
front of an already frustrated public, the entire population had been demanding
it. Anything less would have evaporated their faith in the judiciary. This case
has been classified as one of the ‘rarest of the rare’ cases, and hence such a
punishment has been meted out. Considering the ‘brutality, hair raising beastly
and unparalleled behavior’ of the rapists, the motive of proving that the
court isn’t blind to the crime against
women and sending across a deterrent message to potential offenders, Justice
Yogesh Khanna has delivered this landmark verdict. Kudos.
Hopefully, the rapes will stop. Not all of a sudden, but
gradually. There can be two ways in which the offenders may react to this
statement. 1. They may either stop committing
this crime (which is um, sadly but realistically, impossible) 2. Or they may
kill the victim, erase all clues, and go home to a good night’s sleep. No
survivor, no accusations, no death (unnatural, of course). When the moral fiber
of a country has been torn and destroyed, then even applause worthy measures
taken by the judiciary ( which come once in a long while), cannot sew
it up easily.
Women have been suppressed. It’s a truth oft told, and
frowned upon. It’s a flaw oft pointed out, a problem that pops up in all
conversations, but, it has not been corrected. It has been about all talk and
no action. In a society where women are beaten up, burnt, brutalized and
harassed, we expect ‘no rapes’ after one judgment. In a country where women
have been disrespected to such humongous extents, how can we expect one
sentence to change it all? Granted, that this judgment does send across a
strong message, but if the boys aren’t taught from the very beginning of their
life, that ‘Thou shall respect women, and Thou shall not violate them’, how can
we expect these boys, who are to be future men, to be ‘civilized’ and
respectful towards the ladies?
Certain men of today, may argue and fight for women’s
rights, and go home only to beat up their wife because there is too much salt
in the dinner.
And if we consider the ‘brutality and beastly behavior’
angle, then I must say, that all rape cases are rarest of the rare. I do not
think that rape of a five year old girl by a trusted neighbor, or the shakti
mills rape case, or the rape case of any woman or girl is any less brutal. Though some don’t result in death
(physically), the rape kills them inside. It kills their spirit. Their faith in
humanity. Their belief that there is goodness left in the world. A rape is not something anyone can forget.
The scars are mental, psychological, emotional and eternal. The victims die a
little every day. Is this not brutal?
Doesn’t this too need a strict punishment?
The judgment is a much appreciated step taken in the right
direction, but it is only a short term measure. You cannot just give a Crocin
to a feverish child and let him go. It is only a pain reliever. A course of
antibiotics is required after that, to cure the fever. Similarly, the judgment
is a painkiller, but we do need laws that strengthen the moral fiber of the
country, and punish those who intend to damage it. All in all, this judgment
has restored my faith in law, but it would take more such measures and some
strong laws to keep it that way.
