78 years of freedom, are we really free?
Today, we are celebrating 78 years of Independence, and many of us feel proud when we look at how far our nation has come since then. Back in those days, we were oppressed by the British and had no freedom.
Finally, on the midnight of August 15th, 1947, after a century of struggles and sacrifices of our forefathers India woke up when the world was asleep to cherish for the coming generation to breathe in the free air of a free nation. However, after 78 years of this hard-earned Independence, I wonder if we are truly independent in this land, today?
We’re all aware of the recent rape case in Kolkata where a trainee doctor was brutally raped and murdered. What was her fault? After her duty hours, she simply went to rest. Due to the lack of proper facilities provided by the higher authorities of the hospital, she went to take rest in the seminar hall.
Does a woman really have the freedom to go wherever she wants? Why is the victim being questioned about why she was there? We call our country a free country, but is it really free and safe for everyone?
Now that this rape case has occurred, the media—our
so-called fourth pillar of the nation—will talk about it for just a couple of
days, and then we’ll all forget about the incident, getting back to our
personal lives. Meanwhile, our media will cover some other big wedding story or
perhaps some other Seema Haider will appear from Pakistan.
The same thing will happen again in a few months or maybe
next year, because we don’t have any real solutions for this problem—especially
regarding women’s safety. A survey shows that 75% of violence against women
happens in the workplace.
Possible solutions to this problem could include:
The need for a strong deterrent against rape.
A law like SCAW (Serious Crimes against Women).
In the end, I just want to ask:
Why should women have to dress a certain way?
Why can’t we go wherever we choose?
How long will women continue to face these problems and lose
their lives?
And how long will rape victims be questioned?
Will our government really take strict action to protect women?
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| Photo credit: Kerala Kaumudi |
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