NIRBHAYA rape and BBC documentary

This Women's Day (8th March) comes at a time when couple of women's issues are alive and kicking in Indian media, social or otherwise. The British coined the word "Delhi Belly", alluding to the stomach upset caused due to the hot, spicy food and contaminated water consumed by the FIRANGIs (foreigners). Now the "Ides Of March" has arrived in form of the Firangis who ruled us for more than couple of centuries, this time exposing our Ugly Under(Delhi) Belly. They have come to haunt us in a BBC documentary, related to the (in)famous NIRBHAYA rape case. Close to its heels comes the news about the alleged rapist of a Naga girl. He was stripped off his clothes,  paraded naked before bring lynched and hung off from higher ground as a trophy. This happened in a far eastern place called Dimapur, often described by the Delhites as a place in that nondescript Chinkiland.

 

Nirbhaya or Naga girl, in my opinion strict enforcement of law and stringent punishments is the only answer. Justice delayed is justice denied. In Nirbhaya's case, for a change the court's verdict came swiftly with the death sentence awarded to the perpetrators. For the Naga victim, it did not. The local's cup of patience was full as they decided to deliver instance justice to the victim.

 

Many went on judging the BBC documentary and the Naga mob lynching. The gloat over the death sentence, one implemented in Dimapur and the other still pending in Delhi, was the highest among women as they could relate to the agony of the victim. We males are certainly anguished by this heinous act, but the outpouring outrage from the ladies is quite understandable.  It probably explains that more males than females question the righteousness of the BBC documentary and death penalty for rapists, delivered by a judge or by the mob. The debate about Capital Punishment and taking law into own hands in a civilized society is probably as old as the civilization itself. Yet, the contrast of opinion between the sexes is quite conspicuous.

 

Before passing some armchair judgement, let's take a pause and contemplate by stepping into the shoes of the victim's family, be it Nirbhaya or the Naga girl. It would be easy for me to preach eye for an eye is wrong, State has no right to kill an individual, blah blah. But would I be talking at the same breath if I can relate the victim to one of my near and dear one ? I don't think so.

Dastardly acts provoke dastardly response. In America the family of the victim are allowed to watch the execution of the perpetrator. They do it for a reason. It may not be humane, but it is human. I have no  illusions to be super human. Normally I won't hurt a fly, let alone watch someone die. But God forbid, if one day I am invited to such an event I will take the first row. No wonder in movies nobody sheds a tear when the bad guy falls. Happy Women's day. Stay safe and undiscriminated.