India has been in world news for all the wrong reasons in recent times.
Corruption in high and low places, arrest of ministers and top officials and violence against women have placed the country in bad light.
Renowned journalist and our mentor Kushwant Singh once said, ‘Rape is the only insult that a man can inflict on a woman which she cannot return.”
While the increasing incidence of rape has cast a shadow on India’s time-honoured tradition of female worship, the gang rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student in a moving bus in Delhi on December 16, the brutality that she suffered and her eventual death in a Singapore Hospital two weeks later have enraged the nation (read related story in this section).
Indians, mostly women and younger members of the society, took to the streets in Delhi and other major cities, demanding capital punishment to the six men (now in custody) accused of the heinous crime and enforcement of legislation that would deter men from perpetrating such offences in the future.
Their anger was understandable.
But how and why did India degenerate into such a pathetic state of international ridicule and a system that appears to have failed at every stage of its execution? Why did the people, known for their political acumen and democratic values, elect and suffer mediocre or even substandard lawmakers?
We know that just a few thousand rowdies and despicable miscreants can create chaos in a land of billion plus people. But these are like a drop of poison that can desecrate a barrel of milk, just as a single cancer cell can destroy the entire body.
Thankfully, people are beginning to say, ‘enough is enough, let us deal with those offenders and erring politicians and officials with a firm hand.’
Their frustration, urge to do something concrete and anger are all beginning to take effect, rattling offenders and offending politicians and officials.
It is untenable that a country, which has accorded women pride of place and honour (as President, Prime Minister, Parliamentary Speaker, Leader of the Opposition, diplomats, leaders and captains of industry and as successful and leading entrepreneurs), should allow a few unacceptable elements to undermine its image, dignity and global status.
Mahatma Gandhi always valued the important role played by women in the political, economic and social emancipation of the country. Under his guidance and leadership, women shouldered critical responsibilities in India’s struggle for freedom. They held public meetings, bravely faced the baton of the police and even went to jail.
Gandhi was instrumental in transforming their outlook, and uprooting taboos and restrictive customs that were in vogue for several decades.
Through their participation in Indian struggle for freedom, women of India broke down the shackles of oppression that had relegated them to a secondary position.
India has risen again. We hope that the young men and women, who have begun a new age of intolerance towards political and corruption, sex offenders and moral turpitude will not rest until the right things are done in the right way in the right time.