Which world are we living in?
Every day, while flipping through the newspaper, I come
across various headlines in different fonts. And each one of them gets me
thinking, which world are we living in?
So a 19-year-old girl gets raped in a minibus in Bangaluru.
How it happened? Well, the same old, girl going to work, boards bus, horny
driver, gives bus controls to assistant, rapes her for an hour or so, throws
her on a deserted road, speeds away. Oh, and also, the writer mentioned another
gang-rape incident in the vicinity just a few weeks ago, just for the record,
you know.
There’s another small-font news where a man and his father
forced the wife into committing suicide. Why? The usual: incompetent man can’t
earn enough to support his own family so constantly forces the wife to bring in
money from her ‘paraya-ghar’.
It’s funny though, how the reporter mentioned leniency given to the father and the son on account of various other people they have to take care of, including a three-year-old son from the victim. Thank god it’s a son, though. She might not even live those three extra years if not for that xy chromosome. So usually there is a lifetime imprisonment under section 304-B (Dowry Death) now reduced to a seven year imprisonment for both perpetrators in this case. Also, I am made aware of the presence of a section 498-A of the IPC which designates punishment for subjecting a married woman to cruelty. Did someone mention ‘marital rape’ to me some time ago?
Oh, but what is the law for? What are PILs for? I’ll tell
you. This very noble monk named Swami Satyananda Chakradhari plays his role as
a politically aware and active citizen by filing a public interest litigation
requesting a 10-year-imprisonment for cow slaughter.
Yes! That’s the solution! A ten year imprisonment for cow
slaughter. And a leniency-granted seven year for manslaughter.
And what’s on the super-headlines? A debate on whether
Chhota Rajan should be retained in Delhi or handed over to Mumbai Police.
This is the world we are living in.
Source: The Hindu, Delhi, Saturday, November 7, 2015
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