JUSTICE VERMA COMMISSION - SUGGESTIONS FOR QUICKER JUSTICE AND STRINGENT PUNISHMENT FOR CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN

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3 QUICK STEPS - TO STOP EVE-TEASING - ALL OVER INDIA - WITHIN A WEEK (& RAPES WITHIN 3 MONTHS) - ELSE, WHAT WILL GO WRONG?

3 QUICK STEPS TO STOP EVE-TEASING WITHIN A WEEK

(& RAPES WITHIN 3 MONTHS)

Rapes are not new to India. They were there always, but their number has considerably increased in recent past due to various reasons.

We must all have been deeply concerned about these crimes - every time they happen. We were not. There was a public molestation of a woman on the streets in Guwahati. Media showed up some energy initially - and then lost track of it. Kolkata had a Gang rape inside a car. It seems nothing has moved on ground in that case so far.

There have been any number of rapes and gang rapes in Haryana. We raised some small concern. What is this? Haryana is hogging all the lime light! So, Bangalore had a few. Some other states are also coming up with one or two.

So what is special about the Delhi case. The sheer Brutality of the Gang Rapists puts any human being into a sense of horror and shame.

So, naturally, the women of Delhi took to streets. But, from day one, there were water cannons and tear gas shells showered on the peaceful protesters. But, the protests continued. The Police actions also continued. Nothing moved in the corridors of Power. They probably thought, the agitation by the Girls will dissipate and  disappear in 2-3 days. Admittedly, as we saw on TV screens, the young girls were being intimidated by the Police in many ways.

The Delhi Police did not cover itself with any glory by repeatedly beating up some of the Girls and women.

Then came AAP and Swami RamDev. Instantly, Delhi Politicians branded them as violent, this and that...Who was violent before their coming? We saw it all on TV screens. Public and Political Parties do have the right to agitate on such a National Issue.

We don’t want rapes, gang rapes and eve-teasing to go on any further. Now, Government and some other Political Pundits and even some women’s organizations are coming up with demand for changes in Law.

Changes in Law are not the immediate need. Change of heart is what is need immediately – and that comes by a sound Education system which inculcates CHARACTER and mutual respect between Boys and Girls – and a strong Public-safety mindedness in our Police. Yes, of course, that takes some time. May be a few months for a determined Political administration and a few years for a lackadaisical one.

In the mean time, eve-teasing can easily be curbed – if only SPECIAL SQUARDS of Men and women police specially picked for the purpose, go round in plain clothes – in Buses, Bus stops, colleges and other sensitive places, look for hard core eve teasers, round them up, thrash them and Jail them for a week. It can be done ALL OVER INDIA within a week. Leave it to special squads and special Courts to punish the culprits picked up by them. What the squads say shall be the only evidence needed. No further evidence shall be needed. Punishment shall be handed down by special courts instantly and it shall be 1 week in Jail. No change in Law is needed for this. All women all over India will immediately feel relieved. What can be done with a small PIN, we are trying to do with a huge, rusty, useless axe. Do this exercise for 3 months – the country will feel like a Heaven -  comparatively, that is.

Do you believe in the ability of ordinary Police to curb crime? Don’t you think, most constables may collapse with a heart attack if you ask them to run / jog for a kilometer or two. So, how will they catch any criminal? And then, if they CAN catch a criminal, will they? How many Police will not bargain with a traffic offender, for instance? Unfortunately, even for naked corruption, there is no one in India  who raises his/ her eye brows. No one says,  all are corrupt. But, have we made any attempt to stop even the naked corruption that goes on in our streets, or in Police stations? How many are good officers and how many are bad officers? Can Good officers prevent Bad officers? Is there a serious, free, fearless dialogue in Public on this?

I am not talking of Delhi Police. I am talking of Police in all States. We, as Public, have to raise serious questions on all these issues. If we think, that if we make a water-tight, stringent, fearsome, awesome law, things will go right – Please be sure that -  the Murphy law will apply there. Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong!

In India, it will. In UK it may not. In US, it may or may not. But, in India, it will.

I therefore suggest JUST 3 THINGS.

1.  Appoint Special squads to catch Eve-Teasers  and special courts to punish them. In one week, 90 % of eve-teasers will learn their lessons. There will be 90% less eve-teasing. This is the TOP, IMMEDIATE PRIORITY.

2.  Ban all Item Numbers, half naked dresses (especially by Heroines, long drawn rape scenes and eve-teasing scenes especially by Heroes – in our movies and on TV. A 24 hours x 365 days beaming of these things on various TV channels sexually provoke all Males – young and Old. They either become sexually mad and go for eve-teasing / rapes, or become sexually incompetent, if there is no outlet. There are reports that Indian Males are fast losing their sexual Potency –considerably. The Gentlemen become impotent. The rogue becomes a rapist. So, One way or the other, these nonsensical things must be banned at least from TV broadcasting.

3.  Introduce Education that teaches character, ethics, mutual respect among our boys and Girls.

Do these. The first is the easiest. The second is the next easiest. The third is the third easiest. None of them are difficult for a determined Government and Public.

All eve-teasing and rapes will diminish considerably and life will be much better for our Boys and Girls.We all want to see them Happy, mutually respectful and Friendly - and not mortally fearful or suspicious.

And, we do want to see an efficient, sensitive, honest image of our Police force. Ensuring that - lies on them only.

Beyond this comes – reduction in drinks, drugs, smoking, Internet and so on. They can be tackled after 3 months- that is, after tackling the first 3 priorities.

Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavanthu

Yours

(V.VIJAYAMOHAN)

DELHI GANG RAPE - ACT NOT ON PROTESTERS - ACT ON GANG RAPISTS - POST-3 Dt 22-12-2012) - TACKLE EVE TEASING ON WAR FOOTING - CREATE SPECIAL SQUADS & COURTS - 3 MONTHS MAX TO PUNISH CULPRTIS IN ALL CASES

DELHI GANG RAPE PROTESTS

ACT NOT ON PROTESTERS

ACT ON GANG RAPISTS

(POST-3 Dated 22-12-2012)

URGENT MEASURES NEEDED

For once the women (or Girls mostly) of Delhi have said, Enough is Enough. Hang the RAPISTS – is their uniform refrain. Amend the Law, Hang the rapist- said almost each of the Demonstrators in Delhi. At least in respect of the GANG RAPISTS,  I totally, totally agree with them.

But, it is really sad that these protesters were tear-gased and lathi-charged, very indiscriminately in Delhi. My first and foremost suggestion to ALL CENTRAL  and STATE GOVERNMENTS and COURTS is – for God’s sake, stop these brutalities on peaceful protesters  Enough is Enough. We are now not in British Raj. Lathi charge should be only for VIOLENT MOBS – not at all for peaceful protests. 

Police must be sensitive to the issue agitating the Protesters. Eve-teasing can happen to their womenfolk too in Delhi that they are Policing  - they must remember that. We all need Urgent measures to avert crimes against women - and that is what all these peaceful protesters were asking! We just can't have our women folk feeling so much insecurity in our capital city.

I am suggesting the following measures. The Home Minister has been responding well to many issues. I do hope, he will respond to this issue also very fast and very appropriately.

LATHI-THE CRUELLEST WEAPON : The present shape, size, length, diameter etc of the LATHI were designed in British time. They continue till now in the same or perhaps worse shape. These are designed to BREAK BONES and incapacitate people for a long time. They can even kill a person. A blow with this Lathi  is itself a huge punishment for any human being, without any court punishment for any crime. Even a Buffalo cannot perhaps bear these lathi blows. And, Police do use it with all their strength, several times even on the same person, as we can see in all videos. They also use it several items on a fallen person, in a very cruel way.  As in all other cases, there are no statistics on what happened to such persons who received lathi blows in India in the past. I strongly suggest to all Jurists and those in decision making capacity to reduce the DIAMETER of this lathi to HALF of its present diameter. It will still inflict severe wounds on the skin but will not break the most useful and strong bones in the body. The person will not be crippled with this modified Lathi for life. When we talk of Police Reforms, I feel, modification of lathi and modifying the cruelty inflicted on peaceful protesters are two significant reforms I would suggest.

CURRENT GANG-RAPE CASE - WHAT ACTION : The Fast track court must start functioning within a week; proceedings must start and the GANG RAPISTS must get their punishment within 3 months from now. The Law must be amended to include HANGING as the punishment for GANG RAPISTS. FAST TRACK COURTS must be the norm in GANG RAPE CASES. The punishment of HANGING  must apply to all GANG RAPE CASES currently being investigated. All women’s organizations and Men’s organizations must demand this.

OTHER CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN : In other rape, molestation and eve-teasing cases, we must leave it to the Judiciary to assess the circumstances.  But, the punishment should be given within 3 months – in all rape cases, if the crime is proved. One way or the other, the case must come to a clear, satisfactory end within 3 months. Judiciary and Police must take this seriously. Today’s punishments under law for rape are not that bad, but can be improved further. But, their implementation is very bad.

IS DEATH PENALTY NECESSARY IN ALL RAPE CASES : I must point out that a hundred murder cases of men and women would have occurred on the same day that this Gang rape has occurred. No one is even talking about any of them. How many will be really convicted in those cases – God only knows. Even for Murder, only in rarest of rare cases, death penalty is awarded but not for all murder cases. GANG RAPE and attempt to murder are what have happened in present Delhi Rape case. This definitely deserves DEATH PENALTY. Other Gang rape cases also deserve death penalty, if not for all, at least for a few of the rapists. But, in all other rape cases, I feel, as a crime, RAPE, is slightly lesser than Murder. It does not deserve death penalty normally. For a serial offender, death penalty may be deserving. When all nations are doing away with death penalty totally, we can’t be extending to smaller offences than Murder and Gang Rape.

ATTACH SOCIAL STIGMA : But, I propose an additional punishment. I propose as additional Punishment (like in olden days) that - every confirmed rapist’s head must be shaven off completely and paraded through all streets in DAY LIGHT (at least 10 miles) with a Flag stating – I AM THE RAPIST. Or, he must be kept standing in a central, busy locality for about 10 hours like this in full public view.

This must be done especially in his place of present residence with shouting by the people accompanying (either Police or Police and members of public). This must be done for every SERIOUS, HARD CORE EVE-TEASER AND MOLESTER. Strong Social Stigma must attach to the RAPIST, molester and Eve-teaser. Today, it is not there. Many care less about Jail. But, will care more about such social stigma.

EVE TEASING IN DELHI : The one major point I stress (as in my last Blog Post) is about EVE-TEASING in Delhi. Delhi must stop  ALL EVE-TEASING, at all costs. The normal, routine Police is quite incapable of tackling this level of EVE-TEASING. There should be SPECIAL SQUADS who must travel by Buses in civil dress, identify SERIOUS OFFENDERS, drag then out of the Bus immediately and take them into custody. Ten days minimum Jail must be the punishment given to the offenders caught by the special squads, by special courts, WITHOUT SEEKING FURTHER PROOF. Those caught by special squads are OFFENDERS. As simple as that. Special squads must also keep vigil near Bus stops, in trains, near colleges and so on and catch the offenders. Near Men’s colleges, number of offenders may be initially more – but the Squads must do this exercise at all such places for about three months in Delhi. Punishment for offenders caught by the Special Squads must be awarded by the special courts on the SAME DAY. Then, this process can be repeated weekly or fortnightly one day.

ALL STATE CAPITALS : A similar exercise must be done in all state capitals simultaneously – so that EVE-TEASING is rooted out in all state capitals. This is a TOP PRIORITY EXERCISE for all Governments. We just can’t have this level of eve-teasing in our society.

LADIES-ONLY BUSES : All Metros must introduce ladies only Buses at peak times in much greater number than at present. The kind of jostling and over-crowding that happens with the present number of Buses is one primary cause of EVE-TEASING.

PERMIT PUBLIC TO HANDLE EVE-TEASERS : Why do public not respond in case of crimes on our roads and buses and trains? The biggest problem is posed by none other than the Police and –even the courts of Law. If you don’t do anything, there is no problem for you. Problem is only for the woman being teased. But, if you quarrel with the eve-teaser, scuffle with him, or beat him, the Police will start teasing YOU. You will be called to Police station, you may also be taken into custody, the woman also may be taken into custody; then, if and when the matter goes before courts, the case will drag on for next 10 years (by current standards); and you never know when you will be called as witness or even for the crime of quarreling with eve-teaser. Our systems are bad enough – to ensure that there are NO WITNESSES for any crime. This was the case with the GANG MOLESTATION INCIDENT of Guwahati, Assam.

This should change. If public beat up a criminal, an Eve-Teaser, a gang molester, and if the eve-teasing incident is a fact, the Police and the court, from day one, should stand by the woman and the Public. Calling the public often and on to court or Police station  is totally incorrect. Record their statements once – preferably on the spot, or in the court. Then, they should not be called at all. If public are allowed to handle criminals without fear of courts and Police, our crime rate will come down to some extent.

For the Delhi Police Administration - the current Gang rape case is the acid test – to show their efficiency in dealing with the case and in averting all such cases in future.

PS : SEE MY 2 PREVIOUS DETAILED BLOG POSTS ON SAME TOPIC AT :

http://wiseinvestmentideas.blogspot.in/2012/12/delhi-gang-rape-rapes-of-future-tackle.html

http://wiseinvestmentideas.blogspot.in/2012/12/gang-rapes-hang-rapists-but-how-do-you.html

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