Government scared of People: A rare sight

This is an important time for India and her people - both men and women.

This is not just standing up for women's right where rape only angers the female species. Even a man will be a father and a husband to someone - so will he wait for the "rarest of the rare" rape category to happen before he is assured that the rapist will be awarded a death sentence?

So as the country assembles at one of its most prestigious monuments, the India Gate, New Delhi, the government, media and the police gets a feel of the very people it hopes to subdue with the "system". Surprisingly, the media is supporting the cops - "They (the cops) had to fire cannons, because the public was pelting stones at them." Will someone ask why the people had to pelt in the first place?

Rahul Gandhi says that emotions cannot drive decisions. What is that even supposed to mean? Wait a minute, I know what he means. He means that we must all go home and sit and watch Dabang 2 and wait for the government to draft some anti-rape laws... like punishing rapists on "rarest of the rare cases".

The court is sentencing 14 days' jail to the rapists until identification and confession, under strict protection because the government is afraid if the people get hold of these rapists then they will kill the latter. It is interesting to note that for once, in our country the government and police are afraid of the people. Also interesting is the paradox: the police are now protecting rapists against the people.

Amid all this, people are asking the quintessential question: whether mob should drive political laws? Whether or not this is a case of democracy going in to the anarchy mode? I have a question for these people: Imagine what that rape victim must have gone through that she is still in the ICU even after a week, and cannot walk. The doctor today said she needed more stitches. Is this a picture of democracy?

The government should understand that people are, by definition, driven by apathy and indifference. When that basic shred of dignity is threatened, there will be violence, unrest and these protests. I am not justifying this. But then this has happened and we must analyze as to why people are driven to this point. Hopefully, we should find our answers there. All they care is about their right to life and luxury. The government cannot take this for granted. They cannot take forever to draft laws that must be for the protection of women's safety - it could be your mother or my sister.

I think India must have gone to protest the very day when the first public rape had come to light. If not for the anger of we, the people, this case would again be sidelined - by the media and the government who by default, loves to procrastinate. And we Indians, know that better.