Rest in peace..we failed to save your life

Finally the girl who fought valiantly for her life; first from the rapists and later in the hospital has been laid to rest. She surely has found peace at last. But one fervently hopes that the fire that she kindled will not die until concrete steps have been taken to tackle the crime that is growing the fastest (700%) in India. But it is not an easy task at all especially since the mentality of our leaders have not changed at all. I took part in a few discussions in FB and elsewhere and in all, the most number of reasons cited for rape was the women’s way of dressing. Now if this was the real reason, I would gladly embrace it since we are desperately looking for solutions. But it is not. Have a look at the following report from KSA and see for yourself. It says that nearly a Quarter of Children Raped; Up to 46% of Students Suffer from Homosexuality.

Guest - No, I’m sorry, the study was directed at university students. Twenty-three percent had been raped during their childhood. For 62% of those, the rape was never reported. This was because it was one of the victim’s relatives. In the study, it was mentioned that more than 16% of the rapists were relatives, specifically 5% were siblings, 2% were teachers, and 1% were parents. In another study, which was conducted by Dr. In’am (al-Rabu’i), who is the president of children’s studies at the Armed Forces Hospital in Jeddah, she mentioned, or warned, that in the coming years we will suffer as a society from extremely widespread cases of homosexuality. The reason for this is the increase in the cases of sexual assault of children (brought) to the hospital, as well as the societal violence inflicted on children. She also mentioned that the hospital had on average three sexual assault cases per week.

So I hope we have killed the myth that a well dressed woman does not invite rape. In fact I would have posted a picture that made it crystal clear, except that it is too crude.

Actually KSA can take an example from Kuwait where no dress code exists. In malls one can see people not overtly modest or immodest. Not that rapes are rare but I think the stats are much better than that of KSA.

Now coming back to India, we saw how this “Empowered” lady scientist spoke her mind:

Khargone: In a shocking reaction to the Delhi gang-rape victim, Dr. Anita Shukla ironically blamed the victim herself for the crime committed; at a seminar in Khargone,M.P. The police department had called for a seminar on the topic, ‘Sensitivity towards women'. 

She commented, ‘The victim should have surrendered when surrounded by six men, at least it could have saved her intestines'.

However, women can stop such incidences by showing their maturity under such circumstances.

Wow! And there were none with a spine to give this lady a dressing down.

With such women in galore at even the “National Commission for Women”, do we really stand a chance to fight rape effectively? Maybe it is these women whom our President’s son was calling “Dented and painted”? Not that I agree with that dimwit!

This lady must be at an age where she has fought and lost many battles but the girl was not. She was young and she fought her tormentors.  And if this was her fault, I would say that she was not a coward but a brave one indeed. 

I also listened to the doctor who justified the moving of the girl to Singapore. I listened as he praised the kindness of the government in issuing the Passport in 2 days time. Bloody! When will educated ones like him utter the truth! That they were only doing their job. That they are not a charitable institution or a philanthropist to exercise kindness. That they are there with the tax payers money and to do a job. 

One also continues to wonder why the girl was shifted. Though very likely it was in fear of the protesters. 

As a nation we already stand ashamed of everything and now even of our doctors too. We have all become a bad lot!

Justice Verma has asked for suggestions to be sent to his email. Cynical as I am, I think this is only a PR exercise. I am sure he has neither time nor inclination to read millions of emails that would be sent; half of them angry outpourings. But do go ahead and write and don’t listen to this cynic.

The committee headed by former chief justice of India JS Verma sought comments from the public in general, particularly eminent jurists, legal professionals, NGOs, women's groups and civil society members on reviewing the existing laws in a bid to provide quicker justice and stringent punishment in cases of aggravated sexual assault, an official statement said. 
The comments can be sent at justice.verma@nic.in or through FAX at 011-23092675.

As for me all I want to tell him is to change! And if he can, change the attitude of his counterparts too. Next time a rape comes up in courts and the lawyer representing the rapist comes up with the following usual questions: 

1. Why were you out at that time?

2. Why were you wearing a jeans (or whatever) ?

3. Why do you roam around with your boy friend and not with your Father or brother?

4. Many more standard questions..

To all such questions all I want is that he THUNDER from his chair that the question is IRRELEVANT!  That he asks the lawyer to move on to the real issue. If he still does not get it maybe he can picture that it is his son (note that the GENDER is changed) who got raped and mauled. Will the above questions make any better sense? Can our judges see that a girl has been attacked and that all she is seeking is justice against her attackers?Nevertheless, let me wish that the following would be done ASAP. 

Police stations shall have specially trained personnel to handle rape related cases. Let them have a separate office for the same. Let there also be NGO’s who shall coordinate with the victim from the time of the filing of the FIR until the case is settled. Let these policemen be trained to be sensitive else we shall have more suicides like the recent one in Patiala.

As the news came in, the accused were finally arrested and three police officers sacked. But it was too little too late. The mere first-information report (FIR) had been registered 14 days after the rape.

The suicide note names the rapists and also accuses cops of repeatedly calling her to the police station and asking "uncomfortable" questions.

There needs to be a change in attitude from all including our judiciary, police, politicians and the ordinary citizens if rape laws are to be effective. No more blaming the victim and finding excuses for the rapists. As for punishment, I hope the six will be hanged very soon. Maybe the next one can be given 100 lashes daily for n number of days since killing is too quick. I don’t recommend killing, instead let them feel the pain and then left in jail for a longer period of time without any bail.

Dange's ghost

Those in Kerala will now be recalling Dange. The utterance of VS has shocked not only his own party but the entire state. But he has only told the truth. He has nothing to lose being close to 90 years. Does he look even 70?

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In stinging remarks, CPI-M veteran V.S. Achuthanandan warned Saturday that his rival Pinarayi Vijayan will soon meet the fate of the once iconic Indian Communist S.A. Dange who was shown the door by the party.



Achuthanandan, a former Kerala chief minister who is now the opposition leader in the assembly, made the statement following the recent murder of former CPI-M leader T.P. Chandrasekharan, 51

After the killing, which police believe was done by CPI-M activists, Vijayan dubbed Chandrasekharan a "traitor". Achuthanandan, who was said to be close to the dead man, disputed the label.



Achuthanandan told reporters here that Vijayan's remark was not the opinion of the Communist Party of India-Marxist.


"In our party things are different. It is not like the Congress where the final word is that of the party high command.

"In our party, an opinion is arrived at after detailed ideological discussions," he said.


Chandrasekharan, a former CPI-M firebrand, was killed in Onchiyam near here Friday night. Police said he was attacked with a bomb and then murdered. His face was disfigured

The brutal killing of shocked the entire state but what shocked and was even more disgusting was the utterance of Pinarayi. His intolerance and hatred against those who left the party was very evident in the speech delivered in his usual style; with a very dead eyes. Have you watched them? If has no hand in the present killing, it needs to be recalled that it is his intolerance that led to the split.

But I blame the current government too for letting this crime happen when there was a threat to his life.

Who gave the deadly killer parole and why was he not monitored?

There are many killings. Some are done at the spur of the moment and later leads to years of regret and unhappiness. But there are others who have made killing their job and they do it with no regret. They very well know that their own fate will be no different, hence they do not care for the consequences. They live for the moment and do the killing like a machine.

The latest killing had a few witness and within 3 minutes the police were informed and even requested to block roads and such to catch the criminals. But nothing like that happened and today it is 9 days since the killing and still the police has no clue. So who really gave the order?

As for VS, he has always known the pulse of the mass. He knows that this murder has disturbed the entire state and his own party workers. If he does not offer sympathy, it would definitely be the end of the party, specially since it has put the party on defensive. As for Pinarayi, he should remember that in a democratic setup, it is the people that matters. Else he will be left with only a party office.

Who is he to decide the fate of every Keralite?

Why should the common man be bothered with party ideologies, if the party doesn’t deliver?

We are not in China to pay obeisance to the party leader and keep our mouth shut!

I hope this government acts with responsibility and brings the culprits; not just the killers but the handlers too to justice. Else it is only natural to believe that even this government has a hand behind this killing. After all, it is they who shall benefit most from it. It is they who let the killers out on parole.

There should no more be such killings in the name of the common people. There shall be more such issues but one cannot kill the messenger instead of solving the issues.

Unfortunately, we the people have made the job of the politicians very lucrative. It is so desirable that they are ready to kill anyone who opposes their dictates. This needs to stop.

One thought that the killing of the teacher in front of his school students would finally wake the conscience of the judiciary at least. But even today those behind one of the most brutal killing have not been apprehended. We robbed those students their innocence. I am sure they are scarred for life.

When one listens to media saying that even the recent killers may be killed by another set of "quotation" gang , one wonders if Kerala is the land of quotation gangs. Is there no provision in our law to put these killers behind bars forever?

Yesterday I listened to a media discussion on quotation gangs and one member of this gang was also present. The final word was from him. He said that it was the political party that nurtured him and made him to kill and he ended by saying that every party uses them.

This needs to stop!

http://expressbuzz.com/topic/pinarayi-will-meet-danges-fate-achuthanandan/391115.html
http://expressbuzz.com/topic/stormy-days-ahead-for-vs-cpm/391241.html.

Please join them..

Wow!

If you lock up businessmen, will investment come: Law Minister.....

This minister has the nerve to say that the judiciary should take heed of the "political economy"  before doing their job!

If his concern is genuine, then it is time he joined these businessmen in jail so as to give them good company and the nation a big favour.

But is this not an offense in itself?

Is he not abusing his power?

Source: indianexpress.com

Can we have our revered Judges back?

If there was a news over the last week (heard on TV too) that warmed my heart it was this:

Justice Dinakaran’s name withdrawn from list for SC appointment
By ANI
November 1st, 2009
NEW DELHI - Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan on Sunday said that the Supreme Court Collegium has withdrawn the name of Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P D Dinakaran from the list of judges who were to be evaluated for appointment to the apex court.

Not sure if I have rights to point to the following post for further reading: click.. but it gives an extensive account of the case.

I think it is time our judiciary is taken to task.

It was from the movies of yesteryears that I came across “Court martial” and deduced that it was the worst punishment any person serving in the armed forces is given.

Courts martial have the authority to try a wide range of military offences, many of which closely resemble civilian crimes like fraud, theft or perjury.

Indian Army has four kinds of Court Martial - General Court Martial (GCM), District Court Martial (DCM), Summary General Court Martial (SGCM) and Summary Court Martial (SCM). According to the Army act, army courts can try personnel for all kinds of offences except for murder and rape of a civilian, which are primarily tried by a civilian court of law.

Courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court-martial

While reading about Court Martial I do read that it has its own problems too. I also stumbled upon a blog detailing those who are facing court martial and other trials for various reasons.

Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Indian Army Courtmartial and Dishonourable discharge: Current List of Officers under a cloud

Anyway, since I am talking about our judiciary I think it is time something similar (or is there one?) is implemented before the entire system collapses. Those in the judiciary themselves are calling for action and hence it is imperative that something is done.

As for declaring assets which I had mentioned in an older post, we do have good news:

Madras HC Judge declares assets

STAFF WRITER 17:15 HRS IST

Chennai, Nov 9 (PTI) Amid a debate over declaration of assets by judges, Justice K Chandru of the Madras High Court declared his assets at the time of being sworn in as a permanent judge today.

Justice Chandru, who was among 14 additional judges to be sworn in as permanent judges, said he was "starting a new convention" of declaring assets at the time of swearing in.

He handed over an envelope, containing details of his assets along with that of his wife and minor daughter, immediately after being sworn in by Chief Justice H L Gokhale.

The court has a strength of 54 judges, including the 14 sworn in today against the sanctioned strength of 60 which includes the Madurai bench.

SC judges declare assets on website
Dhananjay Mahapatra, TNN 3 November 2009, 03:20am IST

NEW DELHI: Two months after the Supreme Court, faced with demands and growing pressure from within, resolved to make public the assets and liabilities of its judges, the details were put up on its official website.

The significant step towards transparency was marked by some surprise revelations — one of the judges doesn’t own even a two-wheeler, while another has a Yamaha motorcycle as his sole vehicle. There are details of land, houses, investments in shares and flats as well. ( See Ninan’s cartoon )