India's daughters

As India strides towards its vision of becoming a developed nation by 2025, the country faces a stark and troubling contradiction. On one hand, there is a collective aspiration for economic growth, technological advancement, and global leadership. 

On the other, the persistent and pervasive issue of sexual violence against women casts a long shadow over these ambitions.

      The recent tragic incident involving the rape and murder of a young medical trainee in Kolkata has once again brought to the forefront the grim reality faced by many of India’s daughters.

        We all remember the Nirbhaya case that occurred in the capital of India in 2012. People gathered in Delhi to demand justice. In that instance, the government intervened promptly and took necessary actions to save the girl. However, justice was served only after several years, and even then, a juvenile offender escaped punishment. In 2018, in the Kathua case, an eight-year-old girl named Asifa was raped and murdered. Every six years, a brutal incident involving a girl shocks the nation, brought to light by the media and news. Each time a girl dies due to such heinous acts, we come together to protest, and eventually, justice is served.

               In 2022, the total number of reported rape cases in India exceeded 31,000, marking a slight decline compared to the previous year. Despite the fact that many rapes go unreported, the issue persistently dominates news headlines, occasionally inciting public protests. Although the frequency of reported rapes has risen in recent years, the stigma continues to be unfairly associated with the victim rather than the perpetrator.

In India, immediate penalties are imposed for minor infractions such as traffic violations, demonstrating our adherence to regulations and swift enforcement of punishments.

                    When a crime occurs, we begin by scrutinizing the circumstances: when it happened, how it happened, and why it happened. Despite thorough analysis, immediate justice is seldom delivered to the perpetrators. It often takes extensive protests and public outcry before the judiciary takes up the case and attempts to deliver justice. This raises the question of whether our judicial system is too weak or if we simply take these matters lightly until another tragedy occurs.

              Amidst this, critics continue to blame women for pursuing their dreams and falling into unfortunate circumstances. How long will we continue to fault women for seeking their aspirations?

                 Before our nation can truly be considered developed, we must strive to make it the safest place for women. As we approach our 78th Independence Day, let us envision a future where India is the safest nation for women.

Jai Hind!