National parties must prioritise women safety and speedy justice

It is time the national opposition parties should give a break to their political agenda of taking on the BJP led NDA government on issues like Hindenburg Reports and take up issues like the rape and murder of a trainee doctor while she was on duty in Kolkatta on August 9 which sent shockwaves across the nation, the Mollywood blues which has rocked the Malayalam film industry, the demand for reopening of ‘Me Too’ report in Telugu film industry and the SR Gudlavalleru Engineering College in Krishna district. All these issues pertain to harassment of women.

All the political parties including the BJP at the national level need to get out of amnesia and recall the unspeakable memories whether it is the case of Nirbhaya, rape of five tribal girls in MP, sexual violence against Kuki ZO communities or the gang rape and murder of two minors in Budaun in UP in May 2014 and discuss as to what kind of justice the victims and their families got and in how much time.

Many of the rape cases they might still be at the trial stage. This is another major issue that needs to be focused upon. The huge gap between crime and conviction is a matter of concern. The political executive and opposition should at least feel 25% of the trauma the victims and their families undergo. They should show sympathy and empathy not raise political hue and cry accuse the government forgetting their failures when in power and try to use those incidents for vote bank politics.

If such cases were handled with all the seriousness that they deserve and if there was demonstrative action, certainly rape cases could have come down drastically.

The media too needs to take the blame. Till protests and agitations are on it focuses on these cases and then it moves on to something else and never bothers to peep into the past and tell the government about how justice was getting delayed.

Another disturbing trend seen in Andhra Pradesh was the case of Kadambari Jethwani where it is alleged that she was arrested by some senior police officers in a false case and lodged her and her family members in the Vijayawada jail during the regime of the previous government and was harassed. Even while this case was being probed by the present government, a major agitation by students erupted in Gudlavalleru Enginerring college alleging that hidden cameras were installed in the rooms and that about 3000 videos were recorded.

Naturally this would cause very serious concern for any girl student and her parents. In fact if true it could lead to trauma because in these days of cyber crime, no one knows how they would be misused. But then when the NDA alliance government in the state took up a thorough probe, it was found that no camera was installed and so far none from opposition parties who have been shouting from roof tops had come forward to provide any evidence of even a single video.

It is really a very serious issue if any videos are there. Anyone responsible should not be spared and stringent punishment needs to be given in shortest possible time. Not just the perpetrator but all those who would have connived in the crime including the school administration should be punished.

If it was stage managed by some politicians they too need to be brought to book. If it is not true, then those who spread the false news to create trouble and made the students undergo mental torture should be severely punished.

Hence, it is time the national parties whether it is NDA or the INDIA bloc should give top most priority to protection of honour of women and come up with practical suggestions to see that system delivers speedy justice. National parties must prioritise women safety and speedy justice