Our Dead Society

I was born both as a blessing and a curse respectively formy two grandmothers. What wonders me is that why my maternal grandma was nothappy with my birth was perhaps the reason of my being a female (a vulnerableone).  Anyways, from past many yearswhenever I go through any of the Indian newspapers I frequently find one ormore cases of rape. Especially from the Nirbaya rape case of 2012, the yearwhen I journeyed outside Kashmir for my studies at AMU. I started evaluatingthings through a sociological perspective (since I’m a sociology student). Allthis helped me to observe things very minutely and gave me the reason tounderstand the matters in a better and comprehensive way. The feeling that mystate is safe in comparison to rest of the Indian states was a point to ponderupon. But equally I was apprehensive of the fact that if ever this ‘Indianrape-tide’ landed to my valley someday. A feeling which rips you apart andshakes the earth beneath the feet. But my consolations persuaded me that wehave a unique and distinct society with a syncretic culture for which we areproud of. Alas! In course of time my apprehensions proved right . Various majorand minor incidents of molestation and rape came to fore in Kashmir over time.The brutal rape case of an eight year old girl was afresh in our memories, thatwe witnessed this extremely barbaric one of a three year old girl of on 8th ofthis month. Unbelievable! How on earth even one could imagine such heinous act.What kind of a sick pervert would even think of it? The (mis)belief among thepeople that women invites the unwanted attention is grossly exposed by thishorrific incident where this three year innocent kid was made victim.

The outrage and protests across all sections of the societyand the shutdown are very much justifiable and bound to happen. After all thisis not a minor incident. But does that mean the justice is delivered or the matteris over? No. This incident is a black stain and a serious bolt on Kashmir’ssocial fabric, and on the face of humanity altogether. As a Kashmiri one feelshanging his/her head in shame for being the part of this society!

   

Since the tragic incident has happened and people areseemingly back to their work leaving the victim and her family at the mercy ofthe so-called law. The question(s) arise whether the justice would getdelivered to the victim and the culprit would be handed over with some exemplarypunishment? Are we, as part of this society, supposed to introspect and locatethe problem(s) by making the menfolk realize that they should be responsiblebeings who too have their mothers and sisters at home? Are they supposed tobehave and act like animals? The answer lies in the fact that first andforemost is the moral obligation of parents to educate and teach their wardsthe lesson of ethics and morality. Secondly, to imbibe in them a sense ofIslamic spirit and the moral principles envisaged by Islam. Ethics are nottaught at school or college, they are taught at home and the social grooming ofa person depends on one’s family background. If things are not dealt withseriously it is for sure that our society would turn out what it was not knownfor.

Some would insanely argue at times that such things arecaused due to the female attire, but this incident is an eye opener for thatmisleading class. At a time when our three year innocent kid is not safe, howcould the elders ones feel safe while going to market, school or to duty. Isthis the indication that we are no safer now even in our own vicinity? Does itmean anything at any time could happen with us, with our dignity and honor?These are some terrifying apprehensions in almost every female’s mind, deeplyfrightened and shocked to core by this tragedy.

The politicians and the authorities (whose politicalinterference have ruined the whole social and political system here) need totake a strong lesson out of this incident and they should make sure that thepunishment to the perpetrator be exemplary. Besides giving the culprit a sternpunishment, the structure of our society needs a quick and substantial overhaulso that no other tulip gets trampled by the beasts in this society. The sooner,the better. The author has masters in Sociology from AligarhMuslim University. She is a Gold Medalist.

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