By Our Chief Reporter
Panaji (Goa) The Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP) is deeply agonized over the horrendous rapes of an 8 year old girl in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir; another girl in Unnao, U.P. and the subsequent rapes in the country over the last few days which appear to have the tacit corroboration of the concerned Governments in protecting the rapists and denying justice to the rape victims and their families.
The growing trend in the country to justify crimes committed against certain sections of the society by using the garb of nationalism has generated fear and insecurity among the citizens of this country. The shameless and audacious attempts from officers of the court to prevent the filing of the charge sheet and to disrupt the functioning of courts in order to protect the accused rapists poses a grave threat to the sanctity of democratic institutions in this country. The failure of the law enforcing agencies in timely registering the rape cases and the bold connivance of their personnel in destroying circumstantial evidence to subvert the process of justice is most worrisome for any peace loving citizen of this country.
In this moment of widespread public outrage, the CSJP appeals for a humane and civilised response to the crisis. A reactionary approach with a clamour for tough rape laws and the harshest punishments like death penalty or castration for the rapists may hardly be sufficient deterrence for crimes against women and children. The actual response should be to abolish organisations that advocate the ‘Ideology of Hate’ and ‘subjugation of women’ that perpetrate rape, lynching and killings of fellow citizens in the name of community honour, religion and nationalism. The employment of rapes, lynching and killings by certain ideological groups to humiliate and terrorise certain sections of society like the minorities, dalits, women, children and the oppressed by taking advantage of their sympathisers in power is in no way reflective of the rich ancient culture of peace, tolerance and inclusiveness which Indian society is always proud of.
The CSJP appeals to the Prime Minister of India to eliminate the growing Ideology of hate and subjugation of women within the country which undermines constitutional values. There is an urgent need to restore a sense of confidence and security by ensuring speedy justice and protection to women, children, minorities, dalits and those others oppressed in the country.
