Let’s unite to pledge not to allow Damini’s sacrifice go waste

Anil Narendra

When you will read this article, it would be New Year Day. Let’s all start the New Year with a resolve. We will ensure that the brutal murder of the poor 23 year old student, victim of Delhi gangrape, whom we may call Damini or Nirbhaya or Anamika or whatever name we call her, will not go waste and all of us, inspired by her sacrifice will try to change the mentality of the society, the Government, the Administration and the Judiciary, so that no beast of a man could dare such a heinous act. Let’s all take this pledge. Today, whole country is mourning. From India Gate to Gateway of India, anonymous heroes have changed the party mood of urban India. There is no mood of celebration either for Christmas or the New Year Day. In Delhi, the number of revelers has been reduced to half, whereas in Mumbai, three main 5-star hotels have cancelled their New Year parties. Whole of the country is mourning on one hand and on the other there is anger and anguish all over the country. Homage is being paid on social sites and in every street and locality. But will the homage be able to awaken the society and put a stop to such inhuman incidents? Will the flood of tears force the society to take steps for out casting these monsters? But if we go by the past experience, it is hard to believe that any such action would be taken. The Government is expecting that this mass anger, agitations and demonstrations will last for two-three days and then everything will return to normal. And, this is what we should not allow to happen. The gang rape victim girl has left deeper wounds on the psyche of social and legal system, which are serious than those that had been left on her body. God knows how long it will take to heal these wounds. The daughter of the country had breathed her last, but she has awakened us all to the need of effective laws. This was the first instance in the history of movements in the country that common man bereft of any leadership and without any call took to street. The movement that started on 17^th December for an unknown and un-named girl must reach to its logical conclusion and to ensure this is the responsibility of all of us. To bring justice to the girl lying unconscious in the Safdarjang Hospital, Delhi, people even braved the lathi charge, tear gas shells and water cannons by Delhi Police. For the first time, the agitators didn’t hesitate even to knock at the door of the President. Perhaps, the India Gate, where the country exhibits its military might, witnessed the youth power in such a huge number. When a girl dies in such circumstances, then not only the girl dies, but with it dies a part of each girl living in our house, because no girl or woman is just a body, but she is also a mother, sister, daughter, wife and a citizen. Similarly, when a rape is made, then it is not a brutal act of only of a person, but it is we, who too, are responsible to create such circumstances. A corrupt policeman, who doesn’t want to know, why a bus with dark glasses is plying on a wrong route. A dishonest officer, who does not investigate as to how criminal elements released on bail by the Court have been employed as the staff of a bus. A weak judicial system, that doesn’t think it important how a transporter can shift his office without informing government agencies and without obtaining necessary permission. Patching up by a government department, statement by a leader, medieval mindset of the man, a President, who reduces the death sentence to five beastly persons all these combined make ground for rape, because it is not only in Delhi, but all over the country that the women are subjected to such a brutal treatment. Public anger is right. The essence of this public outcry is that we should be provided with right to live with safety; the corrupt system which is breeding crimes should be changed. The Government could be pressurized through protest demonstrations, but the society is also more responsible. The time has come to awaken the society. The time has come to break the silence. The nation is angry, but this anger is not going to give peace to the departed soul. It is more important for the youth of the country to pledge that such incidents would not be allowed to recur. There is no stop to the incidents of rape and eve teasing even after the heinous incident of 16^th December. Almost two dozen incidents of gang rape and rape even after this horrible crime indicate that neither the administration nor the society has awaken. More disturbing fact is that amidst the public wrath, there are still such monsters in the Capital, who are still carrying out such horrendous acts in quick succession. It is time to come out of the slumber. Such acts could only be stopped by opposing such acts at all levels, right from the work place to the family. True homage to this girl would be to keep this mood in the country alive and this would also be the guarantee of the safety of women in the families. Damini was a brave girl, whose courage and will power had even baffled the doctors at Safdarjang Hospital. She wanted to live. She was the only support for her two younger brothers and parents. Her native village Merwara Kalan in Balia district of Uttar Pradesh is mourning the death of its daughter. Food was not cooked in the houses in the village. A relative of the gang rape victim in the Merwara Kalan village situated on the border of UP and Bihar said that she was a ray of hope for her family that was living in poverty. Born in a very poor family, his niece was a very intelligent and a brave girl. Realizing her ability and devotion, her father had even sold his native land for her education. His father was confident that his daughter will not only pull out the family from the rut of poverty but also set the family on the road to prosperity, but the cruel hands of destiny shattered all their hopes. My granddaughter was very courageous girl and she didn’t give up till her last breath. She had finished her education and she had started getting a monthly salary of 35 thousand rupees, but now she had gone very far from us. We only ask the Government to take such steps that no other girl is met with such a fate as our daughter’s. This is what the grandfather of the girl said. Let us unite to make a pledge that we would not allow the people to forget the Damini episode till the Government and the society take concrete measures to stop the recurrence of such acts. The daughter went into deep slumber after awakening all. New Year’s Greetings to all the readers.