Uber Shame Tip Of The Iceberg

Women alone are not unsafe in the Capital. Everyone is. The rape of a young woman in an Uber cab underlines the dismal state of law and order in Delhi. Women bear the brunt of the brutality, though they are not alone.

There is a general law and order problem in Delhi of which crimes against women are a symptom. It's time to once again ask the question, "Who is responsible for the law and order situation in the capital?" Here, I would like to quote the erstwhile chief minister of the state, Sheila Dikshit who went on record to say, “I don’t control the law and order.” This is just not acceptable! How long will this game of passing the buck go on?

There are two aspects to law and order. First, the preventive mechanism of which a large part is policing. Second, is the retributive aspect which is delivered largely by the judiciary. Fundamentally, both these aspects need to be relooked at.

Governments will change, but the officials who report to them--the bureaucracy and the police force (and their mindset) and to some extent the lower judiciary--remain the same. There is a systemic issue that needs resolution.

Among the other larger responsibilities of the ministry of home affairs, it is also incumbent upon them to maintain the law and order in the state of Delhi. Should it not be the responsibility of the State government?

Today’s ruling Union government has an exemplary mandate and can, if it chooses to make far reaching changes, but it is unfortunate that it is ‘all talk and no action'.

As Arun Shourie, the former Union minister rightly remarked, ‘Plateon ke aane ki awaaz toh aa rahi hai, khaana nahin aa raha,” (the sound of the plates can be heard, the food is not seen coming) This just shows that the emphasis is only on making big plans and tall claims with no follow up on turning them into a reality.

And we must not forget, that this present outrage is the result of an incident that got reported, there are many more that go unheard of and unreported because not all citizens have the ability and means to seek recourse .

The 2006 Prakash Singh and others versus the Union of India Supreme Court judgment clearly outlined directives for police reforms. As did the 2002 Police Reforms Commission. There have been many commissions, committees and investigations in the past. What is lacking in the system is the implementation of the outcomes of such reports. The ministry of home affairs is to be held responsible for not doing its bit in ensuring safety of its citizens, particularly women. The approach to law and order is callous.The Uber driver had a history of crime and that sums it up.

By: Gul Panag