The Post War Silence

**A war has been declared, a war which is not external, Not one in which one can say “Oh that, it happened because an X country wanted to take control of portions of country Y and hence the only option was a fight across borders.”, nor are we in any sort of fiscal war. **

If we are at war, today, as a citizen of India, it is amongst and more importantly within ourselves. Amongst because our system has reduced to the level where any amount of destruction is just not enough and within because our ideologies marked by the very History we are proud of has been shaken and uprooted, and that is making some of us scared, because we’re do anything, anything it can take to silence anyone who is questioning those values.

Yes, all of this in relation to that, that tragedy which is being faced by the society, in particular one section/one gender of the society that is, the women of the society and the loss of women’s rights. I know its been said a lot, not once but a million times and I’m not going to repeat the fact that what happened has been a real shocker, but I only ask one question, does it need to come to this? Does it need for a woman’s uterus to be pulled out with bare hands and an iron rod to be stuck up in her vagina before we realize our society is encapsulated by this disease called Patriarchal Authority, that too because her “fault” was to stand up for her right.

“Death Penalty”, “Chemical Castration”, “Public Slaughter”, “Life Imprisonment”, some of the most common words that have been used in the last 20 days probably in every conversation, that has taken place in this country. But wait, let’s look at whether these really have been shouted enough, or if they have been weighing enough to get the government to realize that it is high time. Let me think, the answer is still simple, NO.

I do not say that these words that have been thrown out without thinking and sometimes, just because you want to be part of a movement because you’re political party and will do anything to get the desired votes, but let’s start with these before I even begin with other criticism, so death penalty? Castration? Is that really an answer? I mean you do that today what guarantee do you have that tomorrow the brother/father of that man will not get up and rape/kill another woman in revenge. However, this is another kind of debate, which I would not like to discuss at the moment.

Why not for once, work towards changing the ideology, instead of saying, “oh that poor girl the only way she will get justice is through them getting caught and being given capital punishment”. I do think the only way she will be given justice if the whole concept of rape is ripped apart and the whole nature of the society is changed, but yes that could take centuries. Yes, I am writing an article against my own country because today, I am not proud, not proud that I have been born to a country where rape is “deserved” why because the woman is wearing a short skirt, because she is drinking, because she has been out partying late night, not even that even if she has been working to earn some money to feed herself if not another family of eight. Oh and a country where the president’s son has the audacity to say the women are “dented and painted”.

Where the chief minister of the state to prevent rape will ask for a lowering of the marriageable age of a girl, where the woman chief minister of the capital will say don’t go out alone at 1:30 am in the morning, this is what you will get. Why should we even “get” this, is one question I have, where another chief minister will say oh the acquisition of this is false, its a move to pull down the government in power, really grow up, we HAVE more sense than that woman! I am so speechless that I do not feel like listing the instances that have been pouring out from the mouths of the so-called ‘Men in Power’ and them making everything a political gig, everything including a life.

Well after all this criticism of my own country and its political entity I feel the need to give a few suggestions as how I would see a change, firstly make rape a non bail able offence, secondly clear all pending cases, thirdly make the availability of “women” cops and cops in general a more necessary requirement on streets rather then trying to fight public in silent protests, and blaming them for a cardiac arrest suffered by a constable off his own accord, and lastly make transport more available and a bit more cautious.

But wait, now I don’t even see the point of giving these suggestions cause yet after this incident, 5 cases of rape have already taken place. Are we expecting too much from a place which has already reached its peak and will never have a change in mindset, its like banging your head against the wall, because our government can only talk and it will continue to do so, the simplest way one can see that is in the imposition of Section 144 on the Capital. Will this ever end? Because as I see it, post her death its been lost in public memory.