By Majid Alam:
The people of India have learned through years of co-existence with each other that despite differences in mindset, faith, thought and social strata – on several occasions we have taken a setback on the tenets set up by the framers of Modern India. I have quoted the word ‘faith’ instead of religion, because whichever religion we profess, in that we haven’t forgotten to divide into sects, sub-sects and cults. History shows us that the majority of disputes in the country are related to the term, “propagation of our religion”. Fundamental Rights mentioned in the Constitution include Right to freedom of religion, meaning we have the right to choose whichever religion pleases us. The Fundamental Right also includes rights related to the freedom to practice and propagate religion. But past and the current incidents have shown the level of intolerance in the country and also proved that it is easier to victimize and incite violence on the basis of these distinctions. What is left apart from violence resulting among sects and groups, takes the form of discrimination towards the weaker and underprivileged.
The points that I am mentioning below are potent enough to destroy us. These concerns arise due to the intolerance we have for the ‘minorities’. The word ‘Minority’ should not be misinterpreted; as we have ‘social minorities’ i.e people belonging to depressed classes; ‘religious minorities’, i.e people belonging to the minority religions. ‘Think tanks’ and intellectuals also belong to the minority since their views and ideologies don’t relate to the popular conscience. Women have also been reduced to being minorities within their family and outside. Killing and spreading violence towards minorities can never be justified on any ground and the examples below re-iterate my concern.
It might not be a good idea to call it an end to tolerance in India, but I would like to define it as an end to humanity, after reading about the death of two minors in Haryana by the dominant caste in the region, the reason being a feud, resulting in a race to show who is dominant and who should remain suppressed.
Merely calling the incident an act of racial discrimination would only add to the countless cases pending in court without any resolution. I see the crime as an insult to Gandhi’s concept of Harijans and to the efforts of the noble man, B.R Ambedkar who remained devoted to the cause of the lower castes.
Barely two days after the incident, a similar incident was reported when a fourteen- year Dalit boy was killed by cops for stealing pigeons. Simply bragging about bringing equality won’t do us any good until we quit our double standards. Seeing the low representation of the depressed classes in premier institutes like IITs, IIMs, AIIMS and notable jobs like in bureaucracies and Corporate business, I believe that discrimination will only lead to a rift within the nation. Also turning our back to social evils will lead us away from our step towards development.
Bisara village of Dadri, barely a hundred kilometers from Delhi came into the limelight when a mob attacked a house killing Mohammad Akhlaq and injuring his son on the basis of a rumour that they possessed beef. Forensic reports later proved that it was mutton rather than beef in Akhlaq’s fridge. Beef is considered a sacred animal for Hindus and this is now a cause for concern since people get killed on the apprehension that they have killed the sacred animal.
On 2 August, 2014, Shankar Kumar was beaten to death in the Najafgarh area of Delhi while he was transporting dead cows and buffaloes. The news was also reported in the Washington Post on 30 September as “A mob in India just dragged a man from his home and beat him to death — for eating beef”. It is a shame for a country like India, that has been trying to secure Permanent Membership in the Security Council, when at instances it shows it hasn’t matured yet.
The first question that is raised here is whether ‘secular liberals’ and ‘think tanks’ have a free voice in the conservative attitude in India. The recent death of M. M. Kalburgi, an outspoken critic of Hindu idol worship, aged 77, who was mercilessly gunned down at his house, and similar deaths of Govind Pansare, the Communist leader and an activist, Narendra Dabholkar, a critic of religious superstition in 2013 proves the anger against ideological minorities in the country. The banning of books and writers going on exile for expressing their views against popular beliefs is common. The point is not to agitate against them and to not suppress what we think is against the established norms. The intelligent way would be to debate and allow the flow of debate in the country. Unfortunately, the level of our debate has fallen to such a level that we have reduced ourselves to derogatory comments on social networks when things don’t work the way we like. The problem isn’t limited to us. Media house debates have leaders clamouring for attention and the anchor has to yell to silence them.
Unlike other concerns, this issue is not only old, matured and fossilized through ages but is also an issue most debated about, most researched and highlighted in mainstream media. Though gender discrimination has been able to mobilise masses in support of it and amend laws to make it harsher, chances of progress seem vague. The violence meted out towards women include not only rape and domestic violence, but also eve-teasing and harassment at public places. According to a report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), everyday 93 women are being raped in the country. Leaving this aside, we have instances where women are not allowed to get educated and seek employment. Women get tortured for dowry, beaten on a routine, live an underprivileged life. Police often refuse to file an FIR when they complain and even if the case gets registered, the jurisdiction is beyond imagination. Citing the acts and laws related to women’s safety and empowerment here would be futile and would just complicate the issue.
The aim of a multicultural society is tolerance of different cultures, languages, ideologies and valuing them so that the idea of “difference” is preserved. Similarly, what beautifies India is its acceptance towards them and maintaining equal distance from them, so that none is discriminated against. The problem with us is that we try to deal with these differences according to the opinion forced by the majority. But, the majority couldn’t be always be right, sometimes leading to extreme errors, the examples of which are stated above. The continuing intolerance in India has led to many writers returning their Sahitya Akademi awards as a protest and the number is ever increasing. Instead of maintaining neutrality we should criticize what is morally wrong in every possible way.
Unfortunately, India has turned today into a “State of Nature” as has been portrayed by Thomas Hobbes; the Natural Rights of a person is to oppress others and the Natural Liberty of a person is self-preservance and the state is governed by a “Jungle law”. The government and the intellectual should condemn it publicly in their actions so that people are discouraged to do so. Education, which is limited to sums of mathematics and laws of physics should be liberal enough to welcome changes in the curriculum so that our students are taught to be rational. Judiciary has an important role to play, as strict and speedy justice would retrieve lost respect for laws. Above all, the best way is socializing and interaction. I believe that instead of restricting the depressed and forcing the religious minorities to live in ‘ghettos’, they should be empowered to equality and the essence of fear should be made to vanish through positive co-relation.
Srinivas
Oh, did you forget to add the Moodabidri killing of a Cow Protection activist
Vid
There NEVER was co-existence in Indian society. Dalits were put outside the town and more people died in Hindu-muslim riots than freedom-struggle against Britishers. The only change is that we get to know about all these incidents through media in today’s time. Dalits and women are still the worst sufferers and giving them reservation is not a panacea for all the physical and mental torture they go through in their lives. When even after centuries, Hindus could also never unite and caste problem is same. Intercaste marriage is as much a taboo now as it was earlier. So, stop propagating this idea that our ancestors were very great and tolerant. Had they been so sane, India would not have been facing these issues now. These problems will continue coz India is a very heterogeneous society and people are really dim wit. A country which should have never given democracy at the first place.
Srinivas
The thing with opinion is that its like an asshole, everybody has one, and most of them stink.
B
The bit on gender discrimination is the biggest piece of lie I have come across.
According to NCRB Data, there were 2,22,091 arrests related to 498A in 2013 alone. A man is arrested every 3 minutes for dowry – 98% cases are false.
From 2005 to 2008, as many as 22,000 men have ended their lives in reverse dowry harassment after allegedly being tormented by their wives. In contrast, dowry harassment has driven 6,800 women to suicide.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Harassed-over-dowry-men-demand-fair-play/articleshow/5241108.cms
Since the media is bigoted and biased, it shows women as dowry victims whereas more than 3 times as many men commit suicide due to harassment from wives. The number of men victims of 498A alone outweigh all crimes against women.
B
Do you know that the movie 498A: The Wedding Gift was banned by feminists and National Commission of Women (NCW), because they were scared of people learning the truth about your so called oppressed minority. Where is your voice for those tens of thousands of innocent men rotting in Indian jails over false cases of rape, molestation, dowry, domestic violence and assault, how they are tortured in Indian jails, and how their life, career, reputation, family, and future has been ruined.
Jigsaw
Another third-rate blogger trying to win brownie points by writing in favour of women.
This is the reality: FAKE CASES OF RAPE ARE NOW AT 78%
‘False rape’ cases soar in Delhi as number of acquittals hits 78 per cent
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2656609/False-rape-cases-soar-Capital-number-acquittals-hits-78-cent.html
Woman sentenced to 3 years Jail for a false rape case. Reason – Property dispute. Accused ended his life.
http://www.patrika.com/news/woman-made-fake-rape-allegation-sentenced-3-years-jail/1080735
Cops raid her home to find her husband, apparently accused of a crime, she CRIES rape by Cops! They plead innocence
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/Woman-accuses-3-cops-who-raided-house-of-rape/articleshow/46148533.cms
This article basically nails the trend. Tougher rape law leading to increase in false cases?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Tougher-rape-law-leading-to-increase-in-false-cases/articleshow/30807940.cms
Classic case of rape law misuse: False gangrape
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/a-classic-case-of-misuse-of-rape-laws/article4561657.ece
Journalist arrested in false gang rape case
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Journalists-arrested-in-Ghaziabad-gang-rape-case/articleshow/30751752.cms
Delhi woman misuses rape law, held for extortion
http://news.oneindia.in/feature/2013/delhi-woman-misuses-rape-law-held-for-extortion-1259736.html
Men who face false rape charges – BLOG
http://creative.sulekha.com/men-who-face-false-rape-charges_486653_blog
Girl faces 7 years Rigorous Imprisonment for false rape allegations
http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/court-initiates-criminal-trial-against-gangrape-victim/
Rape filed when husband discovered wife coming out of someone else’s house
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Bombay-High-court-upholds-rape-acquittal/articleshow/23928047.cms
Punishment for falling in LOVE
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-06/ahmedabad/42763164_1_16-year-old-girl-two-firs-amraiwadi
Consensual Sex of Four years turned Rape
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-09/gurgaon/42861203_1_ashok-kumar-district-and-sessions-judge-high-court
Sexual Adventure turned Rape
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Delhi-man-acquitted-of-rape-charges/articleshow/23927246.cms
Love, Sex and Dhokha…..all given the name of Rape
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-02/mumbai/42614448_1_nude-pictures-woman-former-lover
Girl Pregnant, Property Dispute among neighbours, RAPE charge is the Solution
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/man-accused-of-raping-neighbour-acquitted-by-court/1134641/
Father and Daughter both retract from their statements of Rape, refuse to identify accused
http://news.oneindia.in/new-delhi/girl-resiles-from-statement-3-acquitted-in-gang-rape-case-1301948.html
A false rape case by a MAID on an 82 year Old employer, Court issues guidelines to placement agencies
http://www.indiatvnews.com/crime/news/82-year-old-delhi-man-acquitted-of-charge-of-raping-18-year-old–3257.html
Got pregnanant with consent, but she was raped
http://www.firstpost.com/fwire/delhi-man-acquitted-of-raping-deaf-and-dumb-woman-848235.html
Settlement after Rape…or Rape charges for settlement
http://www.rediff.com/news/report/5-jamia-law-students-acquitted-of-rape-charges/20130805.htm
She stayed with cousin with her own ‘sweet will’ but it was a rape for the girls father
http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/delhi-court-acquits-youth-accused-of-raping-15-year-old-cousin-24190.html
Court acquits man of Rape, wants curb on False cases
http://www.northindiakaleidoscope.com/court-acquits-man-of-rape-charge-wants-curbs-on-false-cases/
Rape on a Road Side???
http://bharatchugh.wordpress.com/tag/rape-case-acquittal/
Unable to pay debt, father coerces daughter to file a rape case. 13 years. Another accused woman dies during pendency of the case.
http://law.geekupd8.com/2013/09/Supreme-Court-Acquits-two-from-the-False-Rape-charges-and-also-warns-lower-courts-to-beware-of-False-Rape-cases.html
Two brothers acquitted. If there would have been three, charges would have been on three, four, five…..
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/340855/two-brothers-acquitted-gang-rape.html
Teacher-Student infatuation, baby born out of it, Rape case filed anonymously …acquitted
http://m.indiatoday.in/story/bombay-high-court-acquits-teacher-of-raping-class-10-student/1/267757.html
Rape filed to force the boy into marriage
http://www.kashmirmonitor.in/news-youth-acquitted-of-raping-robbing-lover-54621.aspx
Acquitted after 11 years of struggle
http://post.jagran.com/supreme-court-acquits-two-persons-in-11yearold-gang-rape-case-1344437990
Dispute over property, turned rape by a young empowered woman against an elderly senior citizen
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-28/delhi/40848274_1_false-cases-false-allegation-anita
They raped but dropped her home. Then her father slapped her. Then she slept. Then police found her. OMG.
http://www.amarujala.com/news/crime-bureau/two-men-arrested-in-safdarjang-enclave-gangrape-case/
No words….First elope with boyfriend then charge him with rape.
http://www.amarujala.com/news/crime-bureau/man-raped-minor-girl-in-hydrabad-hotel/
Medical examination declares no rape, claim of sedation also false, still FIR registered
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Madurai-woman-claims-she-was-raped-by-boyfriend-3-others/articleshow/28497480.cms
Rape on pretext of Job, marriage and many other promises
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Woman-alleges-rape-by-property-dealer/articleshow/28157671.cms?intenttarget=no
Girl agrees rape complaint was false as boyfriend turns husband
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-woman-admits-her-rape-charge-false-as-boyfriend-turns-husband-1858814
Consensual sex turned rape, Judge says women should sleep before marriage at their own peril
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Premarital-sex-immoral-no-religion-permits-it-Court/articleshow/28424592.cms
Raped continuously for a year by facebook friend
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/Facebook-friend-rapes-woman-promising-marriage-in-Surat/articleshow/28445845.cms
Thrown out of Job, files rape case against 8 people
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/Multinational-companys-director-accused-of-rape/articleshow/28484810.cms?intenttarget=no
Rape cases conviction low because of false complaints : Mumbai Commissioner of Police
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Rape-convictions-low-because-of-false-complaints-Police-commissioner-Satya-Pal-Singh/articleshow/25609124.cms
Don’t always believe rape victims evidence : Supreme Court of India
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Don-t-always-believe-rape-victims-evidence-SC/Article1-1124474.aspx
CRY RAPE: http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/cry-rape
False cases behind Delhi’s tag of RAPE CAPITAL: Judge, Delhi Court
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-27/india/40832087_1_maid-false-cases-additional-sessions-judge-virender
Woman arrested for extortion after filing 11 false rape cases
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/woman-who-filed-11-rape-cases-held-on-charge-of-extorting-an-accused/1141887/1
90% of rape cases in Kishanganj False: SP
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-04/patna/36148093_1_bahadurganj-police-kishanganj-sp-complaint-cases
74% percent cases consensual sex turned into rape: Pune Police
http://www.punemirror.in/index.aspx?page=article§id=62&contentid=201004282010042800020376672f460c5
Fake rape victims danger to society: Court
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-17/india/32713694_1_district-court-delhi-court-real-victims
Be Vigilant against false cases: HC tells trial court judges
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/newdelhi/be-vigilant-against-false-rape-cases-hc-to-trial-judges/article1-1065107.aspx
Boyfriend, his friends also in false rape trap….O Boyzzz so sorry for you!
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Madurai-woman-claims-she-was-raped-by-boyfriend-3-others/articleshow/28497480.cms
Consensual relationship, pregnancy, then Rape
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/Doctor-arrested-after-nurse-alleges-rape-over-two-years/articleshow/21152808.cms?intenttarget=no
BLOOMING THREAT IN AN AGE OF JUDICIAL CONSENT
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/The-blooming-threat-in-an-age-of-judicial-consent/2013/07/02/article1662956.ece
GO GOA and then GO crying rape
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Hyderabad-girl-accuses-friend-of-raping-her/articleshow/20723131.cms
Rape victims brother is the child’s biological father
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/Rape-victims-real-brother-is-her-childs-biological-father/articleshow/20756347.cms
Women misuse rape law to force lovers to marry them: Delhi HC
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/women-misuse-rape-law-to-force-lovers-to-marry-them-delhi-high-court/393929-3.html
‘Fake’ rape cases reported as Love Turns Sour: Ranchi Police
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-18/ranchi/39353985_1_police-station-investigation-police-officer
When live-in turns sour, man becomes ‘rapist’
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-09/chennai/34341916_1_live-in-relationships-godman-nithyananda
B
According to an online survey conducted by Save Family Foundation and My Nation Foundation in April 2005 and March 2006, it was shockingly found out that, of 100,000 men who took the survey 98% of them faced severe domestic violence at the hands of their wives and in-laws in the form of verbal, physical, emotional, mental and financial abuse.
Domestic violence is a men’s issue.
98% men have faced domestic violence
http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2012/09/domestic-violence-not-just-a-womens-issue-men-suffer-too/
A man is assaulted by his wife/girlfriend every 14.6 seconds.
http://www.chowrangi.pk/domestic-violence-against-men.html
When husbands are victims of domestic violence
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/man-woman/When-husbands-are-victims-of-domestic-violence/articleshow/26031858.cms
Why are so many MEN becoming victims of domestic violence?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2518434/Why-MEN-victims-domestic-violence-Its-Britains-remaining-taboos-abuse-men-home-rise.html
A Hidden Crime: Domestic Violence Against Men Is a Growing Problem
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/01/30/a-hidden-crime-domestic-violence-against-men-is-a-growing-probl/
Women More Likely to Commit Domestic Violence, Studies Show
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/19133-women-more-likely-to-commit-domestic-violence-studies-show
Male domestic abuse victim: men are scared to come forward
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/30303405/male-domestic-abuse-victim-men-are-scared-to-come-forward
B
Want to talk about the double standards concerning domestic violence?
https://youtu.be/u3PgH86OyEM
Batman
Where is women empowerment when mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters suffer because of false cases of domestic violence, rape and dowry on husbands, brothers, fathers, and sons?