Yes, it is a fact being borne out by spate of six crimes in the country. India burst into protests in mid-December last year on the shameless gang rape, ghastly torture and merciless murder of Nirbhaya in our capital New Delhi.
Greater media coverage of six crimes againstwomen opens our eyes to the horrible reality that even small innocent girls are not safe in our society.
Again the whole nation faces the ignominy of brutal rape of a five-year old girl in East Delhi on 17 April and subsequent savage brutalisation of the poor soul. It is unbelievable bestiality that the girl child was kept confined for three days without food and water and a 200ml bottle and a candle inserted in her private parts had to be surgically extracted. Add to this the usual callousness of police which did not bother to register an FIR and pressurised the victim’s family to settle the case for Rs. 2000.
The two beasts in human form committed this atrocity under the influence of alcohol. Most of the crimes, and more especially sex crimes, are being perpetrated under the influence of alcohol. Should we not think about banning alcohol altogether, at least now?
The whole nation is giving vent to its outrage and disgust on this and other similar crimes. President of India Pranab Mukherjee wants steps to eradicate retrograde mentalityfrom the society. We hope the nation would consider the ways to change this mentality.
Also, President of the Indian National CongressSonia Gandhi wants strict action. And, Bharatiya Janata Party senior leader SushmaSwaraj suggests shock treatment and supports hanging. But the fact remains that mere kneejerk reactions are not going to contribute to the solution of this problem, which in face requires national discourse in wider perspective.
The vital question we must ask ourselves is: can we stop sex crimes when we allow obscenity and misuse of images of female body for titillating and lurid advertisements? When we tolerate sexually charged portrayal of women in films, TV and print media? This erroneous corrupt freedom must be changed before we expect a positive change in the mindset of our society. Should we expect Chairman of Press Council of India Justice Markandey Katju would make concerted efforts in this regard?