The Rape Of Mother India

India has been ranked as amongst the top 10 most gender biased countries in the world. Further debate on Indian hypocrisy becomes unnecessary. Every Republic Day and Independence Day, we pledge our loyalty to our beloved mother land and declare how proud we are to be Indians.

Now the term “Mother” becomes important in our discussion. When was the last time you read a paper devoid of news about crimes against women? When was the last time a woman was doled out justice without there being first a public furore? When was the last time you came across a woman on the road who could be completely safe in her surroundings?

Men in a certain village in Gujarat cannot find wives, men in Haryana have to “purchase” wives and share them too! But we still love our motherland and are willing to sacrfice our lives for it without any inclination to save lives within it. This, indeed, is hypocrisy.

Women are raped in broad daylight yet people will turn their face away lest they should get embroiled in any inconvenience causing them to be late for office the next day.

Female infants are killed at birth since the family cannot bear the shame and expense of another girl in the household. It may come as a surprise to many that the problem of female infanticide is greater in urban cities than in rural India. So then, can we claim to be a progressive society or economy? Economy is it? 9 per cent growth per annum does not reflect a forward looking nation.

Besides, dowry deaths and domestic abuse are rampant even in the most affluent families. A lot of cases of crimes against women are hushed. A woman has the responsibility of the keeping up family’s pride and honour and it is a stigma to talk about matters of abuse, be it physical or sexual. They are dissuaded from taking a legal route.

At the end of the day, where do they end up? They continue to be slaves to their parents, husband, children and family.

While we talk of our Motherland in proud tones, let us not forget these women who show real character, facing the world with stoicism, toiling, without a murmur of protest.