We should all bend our heads in shame following the horrible rape and murder of a young doctor in West Bengal.
Naturally, there is a nationwide flare up that continues to snowball even now against the brutal rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The Supreme Court of India has taken cognisance of the issue and the Chief Justice of India is going to hear case.
However, what seems to worsen the situation is that even on a horrendous act like this, the polity is politically divided. It is being looked at with coloured lens, are you with Mamata government or against it.
At least a crime like rape and murder should be kept out of politics by people on either side of the political divide.
It is the least one could do to show respect for the departed soul whose life and ambitions were snuffed out in such a fashion.
While the BJP and Communist Party of India (M) are blamed by Mamta Bannerji (RAM and Bam) for inflaming an already volatile situation following the gruesome rape and murder, the BJP and CPM portray the Mamata government as trying to shield the culprits.
How come the issue is being turned into one which seems to more demanding of the Mamata government resignation, Mamata government be pulled down for its alleged incompetence and complicity, rather than how speedy justice is provided to the victim and severe punishment to the perpetrator.
This is not a brief to defend Ms Bannerjee’s government which must go if there is found that it was involved in any manner to shield the culprit or did not show sufficient alacrity to bring the culprit to book.
As the head of state, she cannot absolve herself from its responsibility.
Actually, every state where a rape takes place, the Chief Minister and the state government in charge of law and order must be held accountable. And urged to step down.
Rape is one of the most heinous of crimes and as a nation one cannot be selective about our response to it. The safety of women is an issue above politics and all political parties must put their heads together to find a solution whether by stricter punishment or other legislation and societal measures can rape cases be brought down.
In a shrewd political move Ms Mamata Bannerjee to drive home the point that she is as much aggrieved and horrified by the incident as every other right thinking person in the country, took to the street leading a public rally demanding justice for the victim.
Though her detractors are asking why the Chief Minister on the roads is, when she is the one holding all the power and is accountable for the safety and security of the citizens.
But by this open gesture Mamta Bannerjee has stopped the wagging tongues of all those people who said that she was shielding the perpetrator nor hiding anything. Rather she has urged CBI to complete their investigation in a time bound manner and demanded that the culprit to be given the capital punishment.
She squarely blamed the BJP and Left for the vandalism in the hospital, while the Opposition charged the TMC that it was its members who were behind the large-scale destruction at the hospital.
With this kind of charges and counter charges the whole issue as to who were responsible for the vandalism and whether it was an attempt to remove evidence of the crime remains clouded in a mystery.
Naturally, doctors across the country are taking this issue very seriously and it does put into sharp focus the shocking neglect society has shown towards the safety of doctors/nurses who have chosen to take up the noble profession to look after the ill and diseased.
But then while striking and shutting down hospitals throughout the country does go to highlight the issue of safety but on other hand it makes millions of others suffer who require immediate medical attention.
The fact that doctors have go on strike for an issue like safety is something on which we as citizens must feel ashamed.
The governments must take up the issue very urgently both at the Centre and the states and take all possible steps to fulfil the needs of all personnel working at a hospital environment to ensure their safety.
Union Health Minister has given assurance for creation of a Committee to recommend actionable inputs for enhancing safety, but it must not be a one-off statement to placate agitated doctors but must be implemented in true letter and spirit.
The issue of safety and security of doctors have been pending for long and looking at the critical job doctors are involved in doing we cannot afford to continue to shut our eyes.
The gruesome and gory rape and murder has rightfully shocked the conscience of the entire nation, and the culprits must face severe punishment which should be a lesson to others.
What must be avoided is to bring politics into it. All political parties and civic society must act jointly to condemn such acts and find a solution so that no such incidents take place in future.
Rape is a rape and there is no concept of my rape and your rape.
Chief Minister of Bengal Ms Mamata Bannerjee clearly receiving a lot of flak for the incident asked a very pertinent question as to the manner investigating teams swept into Bengal (an Opposition ruled state) following this case which is never seen happening in many other such cases in many other states.
She seemed to suggest that there was an attempt to corner her by her opponents. No wonder she reached the streets with large number of followers demanding capital punishment for the culprits.
Her political opponents not ready to leave her and are consistently demanding her resignation.
The issue has now turned into a large scale political slug fest. But the pertinent question is whether there is demand for resignation of the state Chief Minister in every rape and murder case happening in the country.
The Indian Medical Association is spearheading a nationwide strike in hospitals.
The rape case becomes messier when shocking videos of vandalism in the night by ruffians is seen all over the country through television channels where charges and counter charges are made by political parties that an attempt was made to destroy evidence of rape-murder.
Whether more than one person is involved and whether interns and physicians from the hospital were also involved are other questions which remain to be answered.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the case which is also being monitored by court, but its findings should come out fast rather than dragging for years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day from the ramparts of Red Fort has asked state governments to act on crimes against women with “utmost urgency”.
“Crimes against women should be probed swiftly, and stringent punishment given to those who commit such demonic acts,” he said.
Kolkata police is being targeted for non- performance by certain section of media that the police commissioner of Kolkata had to hold a press conference to declare that they had done everything under their command but were victims of malicious media . He said they had arrested the main accused in the case.
Leaders opposing Mamata in the BJP are saying that the INDIA bloc supports and protects the ‘corrupt and rapists’ and that they are an anti-women and anti-social alliance.
A clear example of how a rape case in Bengal is slowing being used to bash up INDIA alliance by being allegedly charged that it is an anti-women and anti-social alliance.
The political interests of political parties is clearly exposed as each wants to take full political advantage of the widespread natural national anger against the despicable deed.
What ails is that the large number of politically aligned protestors suddenly observe complete radio silence when rape cases happen in states ruled by their own parties.
There should and must be the same kind of uproar in in any rape-murder case anywhere in the country whosoever may be the party in power.
The accused was addicted to violent porn and here the pertinent question is what steps the government have taken for blanket ban on all kinds of pornography on every digital platform.
Here also it is important to note that when governments start taking steps to control the obscene material available for viewers, a section of civil society supported by political parties comes out to cry that their freedom of speech and expression was being curtailed. An adult has a right to watch what he wants and there should be least interference.
Top people in the government hierarchy visited the hospital where the rape-murder took place. This should become the norm in every rape-murder case with the administrative heads visiting the site of such incidents.
The rightful demand of striking doctors of a Central Healthcare Protection Act to enhance safety measures for medical personnel amidst concerns about rising violence against them, must be fulfilled post-haste.
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