Even I, who lost an only child in the prime of his life in an accident, find it impossible to imagine the pain, shock and horror of the family whose girl was gang raped, smothered and burned alive.
Societal mindset has to change is a true enough edict. But such change will take decades if not longer. And even after that, crime against women, such as rape, will continue. As is evident from the experience of the developed countries of the western world: in 2017, India reported 33,000 rapes; US reported 100,000. We need a system here and now that will deter such crimes.
The two essential parts of such a system are police to prevent such crimes, and judiciary to quickly punish the perpetrators. As for police, their lack of effectiveness has been highlighted time and again. And yet again in Hyderabad. As for judiciary, the perpetrators of NIRBHAYA 2012, sentenced to death, are still breaking bread.
India with 129 policemen per 100,000 population is last but one in the list of 50 countries. Only Uganda fares worse. And only 5% of the police in India are women. Our police are overworked and fatigued. Fatigue incapacitates us physically and mentally. And that accounts for the far-below par performance of our police.
The judge-population ratio in India is 10.5 to one million, against a requirement of 50 to one million. It would be the lowest but fourth in the world, if the country were included in a 2008 U.N. study that looked at 65 countries. Only Guatemala, Nicaragua and Kenya had a lower ratio than India (in 2008). A District Judge recently applied the wrong law in a case. When hauled up to the High Court for that lapse, he turned on the HC and said that it was because of overwork and that the HC had no authority to call him to the court. The HC could take no action and referred the case to the Supreme Court.
Building up the strength of police and judiciary will take time. But as an immediate measure, the police can be given more vehicles, communication equipment, computers and such. The judiciary can fast track the cases of crime against women. If the SC can hear Yakub Menon’s mercy petition at 03 am, can hear on a Sunday the Maharashtra petition filed on a Saturday, why can’t the constitutional courts and the lower courts fast track crimes against women cases? Hear these on holidays, if required.
I rest my case.
