Things that have been happening around us over the last few months have compelled us to question the humane feelings in us. We, as Indians, have in fact become dubious about our civilization, our sophistication, our education. Hundreds of times, all sensible citizens of India have questioned themselves: ‘Are we really civilized? Or have we achieved nothing in the name of civilization and still retain in us the savage traits of the primitive caveman?’ These are the questions that have perhaps haunted almost every responsible Indian mind after the ceaseless and horrendous incidents of rapes, gang rapes and sexual violence taking place in the country almost every day.
India’s society has always been a male-dominated one. The society has constructed certain bastions of authority & power for the males. But today we see a lot of changes as men and women join hands in their journey to take our country towards a brighter tomorrow, where women and children are safe and men can strive hard to become their saviours and partners, rather than their tormentors. Yes, India is waking up!
India is not just waking up; it’s creating a storm
Acts of rapes and sexual violence are not new in our country. Yet what is new is the awakening; women are no longer so scared that they suffer as silent victims. In the past victims shied away from reports acts of brutal crime as they felt the society will overlook their tears and inevitably sling mud on them. So rape cases never got media exposure or came under public notice.
But today, when a rape occurs, it is not only the rape victim alone but the entire country seethes and puffs with hatred and anger towards the rapist and comes together to ensure that justice is served. This is the key indicator that our country has been startled up from its state of slumber and things are indeed changing now.
The public outcry and the outrage as an aftermath of the incidents of rape and sexual violence are in fact a sign that India has not only undergone an awakening; it’s literally creating a storm now. The frenzied mobs are burning effigies, sometimes holding quiet candle-lit vigils or holding mute marches, along with rallies with banners bearing anti-rape slogans and demand for justice.
The Face of a New India
The recent news reports of rapes in India have tarnished the country’s image in the International arena, and resulted in adversely affecting the number of foreign tourists that visited every year, which was a shattering blow to the country’s tourism industry as well. Nobody wants to come to a country that’s labelled unsafe for women. However, more importantly, nobody wants to live in a country that’s labelled unsafe for women. And that is what brought about a change in the outlook of the government and the people. As the government came under pressure from either side, serious measures were taken to deal with the issue with a stern hand.
However, our country is full of fanaticism of all kinds-religious, political, feministic and so on. These fanatics create unnecessary problems and agitations and cause the government and law-making bodies to lose their focus from the immediate cause. These people can be called as a great impediment in the way of achieving something good. But thankfully, today they are simply being ignored and outlawed as India is desperate to give the innocent sufferers justice and is turning a deaf ear to the fanatics.
Women are bolder in the face of this positive change, showing the courage to open their mouth in front of the camera even after they have suffered a rape. They feel that they have no reason to feel ashamed or hide their face; it is their perpetrators who should feel that way. That is in fact a step worthy of salute and indicates how bold today’s women have become. Today you will find a rape victim lying in a hospital bed not fearful of giving an interview, pledging to take revenge for what she has suffered by punishing the rapists. This is today’s Indian woman-bold & spirited!
But it isn’t just the women who are changing; you see a shift in the mentality of Indian men too with this awakening. They are participating shoulder-to-shoulder with women in the anti-rape campaigns, protesting when they see any kind of misbehaviour towards women by other men on the streets, becoming conscious about the safety of female members in their own house, transcending the feelings of gender bias and so on. So much so, it is no longer fair to generalize all men as ‘inhuman’ anymore.
This is the face of the new India, where Government is strict, fanatics outlawed, women bolder and men more responsible.
Justice does exist; Authorities do wield their power:
After the Delhi Gang rape incident, certain necessary amendments were made in the anti-rape laws of India. The police forces in different parts of the country too have started playing a very active role, putting many rapists behind bars. Very recently, the death sentence of the rapists involved in ‘Nirvaya’ rape case was announced and this shows that the concerned authorities have started to become more aware of their duties.
To sum up, things seem to be falling slowly into place one piece at a time. It may take some more time for our country to walk the right path, but we can expect that a ‘safe for women’ India is not far away. Today’s public agitation in fact is symbolic of a ‘Window’ through which you can catch a glimpse of a brighter tomorrow for Indian women.
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