STIFLING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Kamal Haasan is one of the greatest actors in the globe. He is a humanist, a secular person a proud Indian. Vishwaroopam, his latest film, is released in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and abroad. But to the shock of  freedom lovers it is banned in his home state causing huge financial loss and mental agony to a man who has served our country with devotion through his creativity. All because some fringe fundamentalist groups  do not like some scenes: a film certified by the Censor Board has super- censors .

Corruption is a social equaliser. The higher sections do due to greed while the lower sections do due to deprivation. The  higher sections cover-up their corruption and often escape, while those belonging to backward and Dalit communities are more visible. Corruption by the weaker sections is a good sign of  distributive justice. This is the substance of what  Ashis Nandy said at Jaipur. These views were  presented by him at academic forums. At Jaipur the choice of words was not appropriate and   the forum was a public one with the media present. All the political parties found an opportunity for cornering more votes and wanted his arrest. Now he has to face the Jaipur police for interrogation and who knows what. Instead of a healthy debate to examine his theoretical proposition for equity and justice , he has to explain to the police why SC and ST ( Prevention of Atrocities Act) should not be applied against him.

Freedom of speech, expression , creative work of art or film, humour and above all thought are under serious threat from cultural terrorism of fundamentalist groups and state terrorism of unlimited power. Sycophancy is promoted and dissent suppressed. A FRIGHTENING SITUATION IN OUR REPUBLIC FOUNDED BY GREAT LEADERS. 

POLITICAL SOCIOLOGIST AND HATE POLITICS

Political and social theorist Ashis Nandy stoked an unnecessary controversy. Caste and religion are
Independent variables in sociological research. But in social life, the use of these variables Depend
on highly sensitive issues. Prof Nandy, speaking at the Jaipur Literary Festival, said that people
belonging to Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are the most corrupt.A
deadly statement on India's Republic Day: politically prejudiced and sociologically incorrect leading
to a Tsunami of protests. CM  Ashok Gehlot described that such a statement could only be made by a
person" only after losing mental balance". Justice MN Rao, Chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes, condemned Nandy's casteist remarks and said: Irresponsible statements of this nature may result in social convulsions endangering peace and tranquility in society.

Legally Nandy appears to have violated the SC and ST ( Prevention of Atrocities ) Act. FIRs are filed against him. Demand for his arrest from political and social activists and leaders has been on the
increase.As a Sociologist Prof Nandy is expected to be unbiased and non-judgmental.

 

FROM RAPIST-KILLER TO SERIAL RAPIST-KILLER

Correction of the offender is the aim of the criminal justice system.But in the Indian jails the offender
most often becomes a hardened criminal due to the brutalising conditions in the jails. A Kiran  Bedi emerges once in a way to initiate prison reforms, but the system remains almost unaffected. Once the offender is punished, individual-centred approach is not the norm, but only a rare exception.

Sunil's known criminal career started around the age of 21, when he was arrested on charges of  rape
and murder. The Nashik Court gave him death sentence, but the High Court acquitted him of all charges. Released on  May28,2012 after jail term for other cases, he settled at Shirdi as a self-employed in work related to the pilgrims' needs. On December 28, 2012 he abducted a nine-year old girl known to him, and was allegedly raped and killed her. A married man with two children and working  in the precincts of a holy shrine, Sunil could not control his libidinous urge and inclination
to kill his victim. Another avoidable loss of life to lust.

The serial rapist-killer Sunil is the creation of an indifferent and unscientific justice delivery system, a jail which grossly failed in its duty to correct him. Sex offenders, rapists, and persons who take the lives of others need to be individualised for therapy, CORRECTION, and rehabilitation. Otherwise
more and more Sunils will be created.

A team of Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists and Social Workers needs to be drafted in our jails for individual - centred correction. A systematic and scientific policy for correction of the criminals should be put in place. Once released, the sex offenders should be centrally registered, monitored through the area police stations, and placed under probation and supervision by Social Workers.

HUMAN LIVES ARE CHEAPEST IN INDIA

Illegal  drug trials on unsuspecting persons, innocent children and the mentally challenged from poor sections of our population for multi-national companies have been taking place in our country causing deaths, and physical as well as mental damages. The unholy nexus between hospitals
doctors,government officials and the MNCs is well-known. But the government of India has been
dragging its feet on policy and implementation for years and years. Last week the Supreme Court
asked whether the government was in slumber. In fact the government has been on coma due to paralysis of inaction and lack of will-power.

It appears that the Supreme Court And High Courts should set up ESOs (executive supervision
offices ) to regularly oversee the central and state governments to protect the welfare of the people.
What a dismal state of affairs in the largest democracy in the world? 

BHARATH VERSUS INDIA

RSS Chief ,the custodian of Hindutva, asserts that rapes take place in (urban) India and not in Bharath(rural India). Contrary to his assertion statistics unmistakably indicate that the percentage of rapes and crimes against women in villages is overwhelmingly higher than that in cities. But the high priests of Bharathiya Sanskriti (culture ) are not convinced with the hard facts. They prefer to be in the illusory world of ' tradition ?'. They blame the Western culture for all the ills of the Indian society.   They are ready with Do's and Don'ts for our women. A senior Minister in MP cautions women not to cross the Lakshman Rekha by breaching moral boundaries. Another leader is a woman; Chairperson of Chattisgarh Women's Commission. She says that women's dress and behaviour,influenced by Western culture, give a cue to men to rape them.

Mahabharata,our national epic, has a shockingly glaring  example of the assault on the modesty of women.When the Kaurava prince attempted to disrobe queen Draupadi in the open court before the emperor, kings and highly esteemed leaders and teachers,no one dared to stop the horrendous attempt. Draupadi was a rare woman with exemplary courage and determination,and a role model for Indian womanhood. But the humiliation meted out to her is a blot on the Indian culture.

If political leaders cannot guarantee safety for our girls and women, LET THEM AT LEAST  SHUT THEIR MOUTHS UP.

SEXiST MINDSET OF MEN IN AUTHORITY IS AN INCENTIVE TO RAPISTS

Abhijit Mukherjee symbolises the perverted,chauvinistic mindset of the male authority with outdated stereotypes of women. In an unguarded moment his real misogynist self was exposed by him. Many politicians, bureaucrats, police officials, public figures, and even some judges have strong sexist bias. They are thus complicit in the increasing number of crimes against women as there is a widespread belief among men that they can get away with sexual harassment or rape of girls and women. FIRs are either not registered or registered reluctantly,investigation is shoddy and unscientific,rape victims and families are often pressurised to withdraw charges,trial is endless,and the quantum of punishment,in many instances, is far from adequate. Otherwise,what is the excuse for a low conviction rate of around 22% during 2009--2011 (source:NCRB ).

The report of the National Commission for Women recommending financial assistance and rehabilitation services to rape victims is gathering dust. The spontaneous protests by the students and the youth of the country after the shocking Delhi gang-rape is an apolitical movement for gender justice and fairness in the social system of India. Instead of seizing the opportunity, the government mishandled it,and is now trying to discredit and defame the movement. History will never forgive the ruling class. Abhijit Mukherjee, MP and son of the Indian President, compared in his ignorance or arrogance with the Arab Spring referring to the movement as PINK REVOLUTION by " dented and painted pretty women". Is he prophetic? What happened in Egypt and to President Mubarack could happen to the short-sighted Delhi rulers in 2014.

IS OUR COUNTRY SAFE FOR OUR GIRLS AND WOMEN ?

One of the most heinous gang-rapes and savage assaults in India took place in the nation's capital on Sunday. The mass protests across the country against the inhuman brutality and violence against a hapless 23-year old woman by six men in a moving bus shook the generally callous political class and the apathetic police. The outpouring of  public anger has been unprecedented and the people, particularly the young women and men, having felt that " enough is enough " , demanded bobbitization, castration, stoning to death, and hanging in public of the rapists. That is the mood of the angry nation.

One rape takes place every twenty-two minutes in India according the NCRB. These are only registered cases and the actual number of rapes would be  very high because many rape victims and their families do not report to the police for fear of social stigma as well as fear of police. Police stations generally are not safe places for women. A rape victim's father took his daughter to a hotel room on the advice of a police officer to record her statement in privacy in order to protect her identity; but at the hotel room the father had to witness the police officer raping his daughter.Most policemen lack gender sensitivity and have sexist bias. Many of our political leaders are no better. Recently one leader said that "most of the rapes are consensual acts". The CM of  West Bengal had no hesitation to brush aside a horrendous rape in Park Street as a political conspiracy to malign her reputation. Those in power, who have the duty to protect our girls and women, often blame them for "inviting rapes " on them. Instead of protecting the women they protect their predators.

Rape is an intentional act of crime for sexual gratification without concern for social norms and the laws of the land.Rape cannot be treated as a psychiatric aberration because a psychiatric patient will not commit a rape. Rape is also not an animal behaviour as animals do not rape the female species. It is only the human male who commits such a horrific criminal violation of the female body and mind. For instance, is the man in Paravoor ( Kerala ), who raped his fourteen-year old daughter and forced her into flesh trade , psychiatrically ill ? NOT AT ALL. He is a hardened criminal . But he was convicted only for seven years imprisonment. There is an increasing chorus from the people for death penalty for rapists. Convicts are awarded death sentence only by applying the  " rarest of rare " principle of criminal justice. But death sentences are kept in abeyance for many years awaiting clemency . Former President Pratibha Patil's action of commuting death sentence to life imprisonment of some convicts received adverse reaction. Men who raped and killed a five-year old and a six-year old respectively were allowed to escape the noose through the Presidential pardon. The death sentences often become " state protection ".

Rapists, child abusers ,and habitual eve teasers should be given exemplary punishment such as chemical castration , long term rigorous imprisonment , jail sentence till the end of the life , and death penalty depending on the gravity of the crime. Recruitment of a large number of women in the police force, protective policing , scientific and speedy investigation ,and early sentence to be enforced within a brief time - frame . Otherwise , as the Delhi High Court cautioned ,PEOPLE WILL LOSE FAITH IN THE POLCE AND THE JUDICIARY .