Ours is a nation of thinkers- not doers. The nation rose and voiced it’s resentment and indignation at the atrocities being committed against women in various parts of the great nation. These crimes, despite the ruckus created against it, are becoming more frequent and numerous. The despicable incidents at which 9 female including minor girl were raped and some murdered by close relatives in Thoubal district of Manipur and the publication of the identities of the victim girl either directly or indirectly by local daily papers of the state is a grim reminder of the failure of the media to uphold and observe the most basic of the ethics of journalism, played down by the media but one which needs to be addressed to avoid a repetition of such an unfortunate blunder.
There have been debates amongst various eminent personalities and experts on the issue. Their learned opinions and views on formulations of new laws and amendments of existing ones are all welcome and are enlightening the general public to a great extent. What confronts us is not so much the problem of the lack of laws and statutes to deal with such crimes as it is about their implementation. There is no dearth of law- the Indian Penal Court which our nation inherited from the British has enough of it to cover any form of crime. The ground reality is the dismal rate of convictions- two percent for sexual offences against women as some experts put it. The problem is about our not utilizing the powers we are bestowed within our fights against crimes and other social injustice. Instances of women beaten up by the police when complaints of sexual harassment were attempted to be made have been reported. This point to the regressive mentality and the level of professionalism, making the general public wary of them and putting a strain on the trust and cooperation which is such a vital necessity in their duty.
There has been a consistently increasing decay in the moral fabric of our society. The need of the hour then is to ensure that any crime does not go unpunished and the harshest penalties and sentences are met out to the perpetrators. An exemplary justice delivery system that is fair and immediate can instil a sense of security amongst the public while at the same time putting fear in the hearts of the law breakers which will deter people from committing crimes and acts that go against the grain of the society. A smooth flow of co-ordination and cooperation coupled with a zeal to put in their best efforts by those who are upholding and guarding the law needs to be in place, else any law- however good it may be, will be nothing more than a rusty knife- it’s benefits and potentials never utilized- while our society keeps backtracking on developments of morality.
