- Crime against women in our country occurs at regular intervals leaving all concerned exasperated and frustrated for want of concrete action on the ground despite several measures introduced to address such manifestations. Especially so after the Nirbhaya episode that gained not only widespread traction in condemning the gruesome incident but also stirring the collective conscience of the nation vociferously demanding stringent legislation of laws to dissuade potential perpetrators from committing heinous acts with impunity.
Pc: The Statesmen
- Despite the introduction of harshest possible laws to act as a deterrence, there is no palpable change witnessed gravely exposing the undercurrents of patriarchal mindset still pervading in society that continues to view women mostly under the prism of bias, inequality, and generally as a burden on the family. Shamefully, female feticide is the outcome. No wonder, sense of entitlement amongst the menfolk continues to gain strength by the day amidst hollow talks of gender equality, welcome parity, and respectful treatment meted out to the other gender. Unfortunately, mere talks will not suffice unless acted upon purposefully where it matters most.
- As is known, deep-rooted patriarchy should pave way for more acceptable gender equality that requires no further elaboration. But the million-dollar question to ponder over here is how to bring about desired changes in the anachronistic thought processes that refuse to part ways in flushing out obsolete viewpoints to this day. Sadly, the nation’s conscience gets stirred only when hate crimes results in the loss of precious lives for someone’s sense of entitlement, read as men. The recent Ballabhgarh brutal killing incident has yet again brought this disgraceful aspect to the fore big time.
Pc: HW News
- Report emerging suggests that the Governments of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are mulling introducing laws prohibiting love jihad ostensibly linking brutal crimes against women alluding to the notion of forceful conversion to a minority religion to legally consummate marriages. There is any number of unsubstantiated reports about perpetrating love jihad on the gullible women by men from minority communities across the country invariably leaving the former in the lurch. Nikita Tomar murder in Ballabhgarh appears to have prompted such a move.
- Our policymakers should understand in no uncertain terms that the consenting adults, irrespective of gender and religion, need not be bracketed alongside one size fits all approach that inherently comes endowed with diminishing returns benefiting none in the long run. Even here, the patriarchal mindset is at play as women are assumed to be lured into relationship/courtship rather than treating the same as voluntarily consenting individual(s) willing to get into an alliance.Aspiring to be a leading country but society still espousing medieval thought processes grossly mirrors a lack of pliable traction defying sound reasoning.
Pc: OpIndia
- The need of the hour is to ensure broadening of societal horizon vis-a-vis acceptance matters about gender equality. Forget about love jihad, there exists Special Marriage Act (SMA) precisely meant for allowing for marriage between consenting adults irrespective of religion or faith followed, albeit with an archaic clause of one-month public notice for soliciting objections, if any. Instead of one more law, the policymakers should expend precious time and intellect to strengthen the existing SMA to make it more relevant and appropriate to the present times. Let adults decide what they wish to indulge in!
