Every one knows about Indian Standard Time. If an event or function has to start at a specified time, one can be sure that the event will eventually start around 30-40 minutes after the specified time once the people start coming. Indians are not punctual. They have no sense of time. Buses, Trains don’t run on time.
I remember reading a story as a child that when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister, she wanted to change the reputation and image of India. She calls in a panel of experts from all parts of the world, primarily USA, Japan, Russia, European countries like Germany, UK, France, Italy. She gives the panel a year’s time to study the prevalent conditions and get back to her with a set of suggestions as to how she can change the face of India.
At the end of the year, the panel come to her with their report. They congratulate her saying that India is the only country where God exists. Indira Gandhi was surprised on hearing this conclusion. At the same time, she felt proud that she is the Prime Minister of the only country where God exists. She asks them as to how they concluded.
They replied - Hard to find a house where a tap doesn’t leak but water is available everywhere. Electrical wires are seen hanging. One can get electrocuted by touching a switch. Yet there is electricity everywhere. Trains run on time! Yes but it may be yesterday’s time. They concluded that without God, India could not exist.
The above are few of the aspirational slogans promoted by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He ran on the plank of development, eschewed the earlier divisive poll tactics of vote bank politics and enthused us in believing that a Shrest Bharat can indeed be forged ahead, where all can live their lives with their heads held high.
We are yet to see the results. One qualitative change, where the common man can see the change and benefit is in the Judiciary. The justice delivery system is abysmal. There are 43 lakh cases pending in High Courts and 3 crore cases pending in the lower courts. A common man neither can get justice soon nor does he have resources to sustain this long legal process.
Law makers, Police, Lawyers, Judges are the major players in the justice delivery system. Reforms are needed in all levels. The onus is on the Law makers to frame laws with checks so that they are not misused. The reality is that the laws are framed poorly and all the other players have enriched themselves through this misuse prone laws. The corrections have happened when the law makers perceived loss to their electoral prospects.
TADA was allowed to lapse as Muslims were targeted. POTA was not given a second chance. Recently, IT Sec 66A was struck down by the Supreme Court as Women were getting increasingly affected. The reasons stated were that the law was vague and misuse was rampant.
The same Supreme Court has stated that Sec 498a as "Legal Terror" and asked Government to take corrective actions instead of striking it down like it did for Sec 66A. 498a has been heavily misused. It strikes at the family. In the name of the woman empowerment, this misuse is being tolerated by the politicians. Various law commissions have given recommendations to make changes so that the misuse can be curbed.
It has become a weapon in the hands of wives who want to control their husbands. Lakhs of women have been arrested and harassed due to this law. These women happen to be mothers, sisters of the husbands.
By going through the NCRB statistics, we can conclude that one married man is committing suicide every 8.5 minutes due to these misuse prone, gender biased laws. The politicians show concern for farmer suicides but ignore the husbands who have committed suicide.
Educated, capable men, in their prime, are running around the courts, fighting these false cases. They invariably loose their time, jobs, dignity and endure harassment by the system. It is nation's loss. Men who can contribute to NaMo's "Make In India" vision are forced to fight for their dignity and life. Is Modi Sarkar OK to loose a sizable force?
One aspect of reducing the judicial pendency is to ensure that false cases don't get added to the system. The false case filers should be punished heavily as currently they have no fear for filing a false case. 498a, Rape, DV, SC/ST Atrocities Act, POCSO are rampantly misused.
Modi Sarkar is toying with the idea of making Sec 498a compoundable as per Justice Malimath's recommendation for curbing the misuse. Justice Malimath had also recommended making it bailable but that recommendation is conveniently ignored.
Modi Sarkar is keen on making Judiciary effective and perfect. It starts with them by scrapping all such misuse prone, gender biased laws. One who does crime needs to be punished irrespective of gender. We are still following penal code of British. We have imported laws from the west without the checks and are wrecking havoc.
Cops enrich themselves and let the false cases reach the courts. They are the second gatekeepers, who are not doing their duty properly.
Judges should automatically give stringent punishment to the false case accusers. The courts need to be modernized. One only has to go to a court and see for themselves the sorry plight. The people crowd the entrances and strain to hear the case numbers being called. They have to be there for the whole day. There are no proper toilets in the premises.
Why can't there be good sitting arrangements. A medium output loudspeaker could be used to announce the case being heard. We should maintain computerized records. Information related to the cases should be easily available to the people.
CCTV should be installed in the courts. Judges also have to be accountable for their decisions. We don't want the status quo where the law treats the rich and connected differently and can get away.
Bharat was a nation famous for its Dharma. Alas we are not even the shadow of the land of Chandragupta, Asoka, Vikram, Sri Krishna Deva Raya.
Watch Sunny Deol's empathic request to the Judge in Damini (Tarikh Pe Tarikh), who has conveyed the essence so effectively.
A man falsely accused of rape has been lynched to death by a mob in Dimapur. Will they be able to bring him back to life? What about the family left behind by him? How did we end up like this? What was it which gave the mob the license to take law into their hands and take a man's life after thrashing him.
What was the fault of the victim? He happened to be a "Man". The rape hysteria built up over the past three years has led to the mob murder. All men are potential rapists. The laws have been framed in favor of women and they are misuse prone. The false accusers are let off as there is no punishment for a false allegation.
A woman's word is sufficient for a man to be held guilty of rape. The man loses his reputation, dignity, job and even one's life as it happened in Dimapur. Why did we let it happen? It is a result of the notion that men are expendable and can be disposed off. Men have no value.
Delhi has got the tag "Rape Capital". Delhi DCW Chief has stated that 53% of rape cases have turned out to be false. Media doesn't highlight the acquittals. The man's name is revealed from day one. His reputation, dignity is lost and endures the harassment from the system. It would be prudent to reveal the name of the accused only after being proven guilty in light of the high percentage of fake cases.
NHRC should have been active as genuine human rights violation has happened but they are nowhere to be seen. They however have been eager to take suo moto cognizance of other widely reported incidents. Dimapur is a fit case for NHRC to stand for the lynched man. He has been vested off his human rights (right to live, right to defend).
Why is the false accuser still free in Dimapur? The authorities have arrested 20 odd youth for the murder of the man accused of false rape and moved on. After two years, Nirbhaya is still a live story where BBC too wanted to ride the TRP wave by releasing the documentary "India's Daughter" and defame the whole nation.
Let us pause for a moment and remember the man who lost his life on 5th March 2015. His name was Syed Sharifuddin Khan, a 35 year old proud Indian man, who has opened up questions for the Indian men.
Let us pledge not to fall prey to the rape hysteria. Let us work on making our laws gender neutral as crime has no gender. Let us value a human life. If left unchecked, it will happen soon somewhere close to you or even to you.
The following are few of the slogans from the Candle light protest against the lynching in Bengaluru on March 22nd, 2015.
#NirbhikMurdered on False Rape Allegation - #Mourn4IndiasSon
False rape can crucify anyone. You maybe next. Don't fall for #RapeHysteria
I fear for my life after Dimapur - #NirbhikLynched #FakeCases
Gross Human Rights Violation in Dimapur #NirbhikLynched
#RapeHysteria leading to #MobMurder
No Value for a Man's Life - #Mourn4IndiasSon
What is the use of Police & Judiciary if #MobInjustice is allowed?
Is it OK to kill a Man accused of False Rape? Why no punishment for false accuser?
Bangalore joins Nation-wide protest against the lynching in Dimapur and Rape Hysteria
