DELHI, besides being the political capital of India, is fast emerging as the Country’s Crime Capital. The recent incidents of loot, firing, and gang rapes indicate to this stark and naked reality. While the Congress Chief Minister ‘granny’ Sheila Dixit is busy doling out a ‘sumptuous’ meal to the poor citizens of the capital at just Rs 4/- per day, her government seems to be in deep slumber.
There was a firing incident a couple of days ago. In the wee hours an ‘angry young man’ who entered into an argument at a dhaba in Connaught Place tried to resolve the debate through his gun. He indiscriminately fired at the owner, but however, missed the target and was caught by the cops.
Now this news about a 23-year-old student being gang raped in a moving bus! What is happening in our National Capital? Under the very nose of a Chief Minister who is also a woman of ‘dignity and self-respect’ the goons and perverts targeted a young lady and molested her.
According to the reports, the girl, who hails from Uttarakhand, was studying medicine at Dehradoon and was in Delhi for internship. She, along with her engineer friend boarded the bus at Munirka for Dwarka. On the way, some goons took control of the situation, attacked her friend who tried to save her, molested and raped the girl and threw both of them in injured condition and just got away. This is the scene of our national capital where leaders got themselves busy in debates on whether to allow FDI in retails or allow quota system in in-service promotions.
This incident clearly shows that women are not safe in Congress ruled Capital of Delhi and that they should not venture out of their houses after sunset. It also exposed the pathetic law and order situation, and the inability and incapability of the administration to provide security to the citizens.
Reactions came as expected. Mamta Sharma, Chairperson of the National Commission on Women (NCW) who had ruffled feathers by her comment on ‘sexy’ word, reacted to this incident in a most casual manner when she said “such incidents are increasing in Delhi. Police and government should be really alert…. We will get an inquiry done and will also enquire with police as to what action has been taken so far”.
The Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit again promised a ‘crackdown’ on the perpetrators of the crime. She said that license of the private bus operator has been cancelled. She has nothing to offer than the rhetoric “We will take stern measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated. The government will act tough and those behind the tragic incident will not be spared”.
Now one may ask Sheila Dixit as to in how many cases in the recent past—in the last decade of her Chief Ministership to be precise—that her government had taken ‘stern measures’ to arrest recurrence of such incidents and in how many cases her government had acted ‘tough’ to bring the culprits to the book? Mere assurances would not do, Madam Chief Minister. The people want action. If you, being a woman, can be so insensitive to such crimes against women, then better quit, for you have long forfeited your claim and right to the Chair of the Chief Minister the day first such crime against any woman was perpetrated in your regime.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra is rightly justified when he said “Sheila Dixit is the Chief Minister, Sonia Gandhi is there at the Centre, Krishna Tirath is a Minister, there is a National Commission on Women, but despite all these, cases of rape against women are on the rise in Delhi. Nothing can be more ashamed than a case that the rape has been done in a moving bus. It is being repeatedly said that Delhi has become the rape capital. When we used to talk about providing safety to the feminine gender, then it was said that women here are safe”.
What we need is a very effective policing to stop such crimes against women who are held in very high esteem in our country since the past. It appears that the Delhi police have also failed in their duty to provide security to its citizens. Incidents like this are not just a shame for the administration and police, but they malign our culture too.
Such types of incidents can be stopped or at least minimized if the perpetrators of such inhuman crimes be given the strongest possible punishment in full public view. If they go without punishment, the life of our daughters, sisters, wives and mothers are in danger. Should we allow this state of affairs to precipitate?
P Chidambaram as Union Home Minister unnecessary invited the ire of the leaders by blaming the migrants in Delhi for such incidents. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and senior JD (U) leader Bashishtha Narain Singh targeted ‘PC’ for his ‘highly objectionable’ and ‘irresponsible and childish act’. As the statement came under attack from political leaders, Chidambaram had reportedly withdrawn it. But he would have earned accolades had he directed the Delhi Chief Minister to expedite the action against the culprits and bring them to books assuring safety to womenfolk of this country which boasts in its tradition of honoring them even at the expenses of one’s life.
