Tuesday, January 1, 2013

The turning point!


Today, the 1st of January 2013 marks the beginning of a new year. The previous year 2012 was shadowed by horrific incidents of corruption and moral degradation, yet ended with a ray of hope when for the first time in the history of the nation, the common man came out on the on the streets on his own to say, this far and no further. Gandhi had initially shown the way and then for many decades the nation slept. The recent movement that started with Anna and picked up steam with Nirbhay has triggered the collective conscience of the nation and the day is not far off when continued inept and corrupt governance may lead to a “Tehrir” or a “Tianamen”.  It is indeed gratifying that the people of our nation with a long history of tolerance have finally found the courage and the conviction to show their displeasure with the system albeit in a peaceful manner. This has been the one single development that overshadows all negatives and instils hope in a hitherto hopeless environment.It also perhaps marks the turning point for this sleeping giant of a nation.

The lows of 2012, we pray are succeeded by the highs of 2013. May the nation emerge from the ashes and once again regain the high moral ground it occupied in ancient times.

Character, not mere proclamations and intentions, is the true building block of a nation. However what we have been witnessing in recent years is the absence of it in the national fabric. The so called leaders of the nation being literally caught with their pants down or hands in the till, has so far not been a scenario that inspires hope. And therefore expecting a constable to walk the high moral ground is indeed laughable. Matters relating to internal security, crime and law and order are indeed intertwined with national character, and that is what we have to strive to build.

Nirbhay has indeed given this nation a national resolve, that of standing up whenever we find a lady in distress. Yet we would never stand up for a lady on the street, if we are unable to prevent incidences of sexual harassment in our own organizations. Yes, railways with all its apparent servility is a glaring example of this disease that is prevalent cutting across divisions and departments.

Our true homage to Nirbhay would be to take proactive steps to clamp down on sexual harassment in our work areas. And I hope we shall.

With hope we live! Insha Allah.

6 comments:

  1. Capital punishment is the best. castration in selected cases such as the recent one would be a great deterrance. Also juvenile age should be reduced to 15.

    ReplyDelete
  2. But legally rape is not a rarest of the rare cases, sir. How can capital punishment for rape be justified when it is awarded to homicide only?
    Does that make homicide equal to rape? - Parth Adhikari

    ReplyDelete
  3. And what is the criterion for terming a case 'selected' and who gets the call for terming it so?
    Will that also mean that rapes are equal in the eye of law? - Parth Adhikari

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Mr Adhikari,

    Justice is delayed only because of legal masturbation by people like you. Wisdom and own judgement of good/right and wrong has to be relied upon, rather than refering to the law books. People are demanding strict laws to deter such heinous acts. And if the law fails or is not enforced in spirit than only resort available to people is to take law in their own hands.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well you possess no cognizance of law and order.
      Human instinct cannot be trusted in awarding sentences.
      A new law needs to be made to alleviate the pain and shame that follows molestation.
      Rape is a heinous dude. But let us also take in view that cases such as the Delhi gangrape occur in other parts of India too (recent one occured in Gurdaspur) but they escape the claws of the law.
      So the entire system needs to be changed inside out.
      No legal masturbation this.
      #fact

      Delete