People’s Victory… But Justice Still Awaited!
It is, indeed, tragic that in a country where there is rape every half an hour, in the same country it takes several years for the victim to get justice. Hence, it is no wonder that when the Hyderabad Police killed the four accused in an encounter for their vicious crime of rape and murder of Dr Priyanka Reddy, the nation burst into cheers! The nation celebrated as for the ‘First’ time ever a rape victim was awarded justice within a week!! Not only the parents of Dr Priyanka Reddy thanked the Hyderabad Police for giving peace to the soul of their departed daughter, but the citizens of India were so delighted that in a first-of-its-kind the public showered flower petals on the police for their heroic deed!
True, the so-called Human Rightswalas and the Gandhians will raise eyebrows over the kind of justice meted out to Dr Priyanka Reddy’s accused. The big question is: If these Human Rights defenders are so concerned about the violent mode of justice to rapists then why don’t they come on streets and make the judicial system stronger? Why can’t we make our judicial system fast-track rape cases and give exemplary punishment to rapists as done in other countries worldwide?
It has been over 8 years when the horrendous rape and murder of Nirbhaya rocked the country in 2012. After her rape, like Dr Priyanka Reddy’s rape case, the nation had come together and witnessed protests, morchas, and candlelight marches. Newspapers and TV news channels were blazing with debates seeking a death sentence for the rapists! However, after a few months of incessant fight-back, things went into oblivion and people forgot everything and went back to their work.
This was the biggest blunder because, as the anger declined, the fear among the rapists evaporated and the nation once again was shaken by even more bitter instances of rape and murder. For instance, who can forget the rape and murder incidents at Kathua, Unnao, Surat, Manipur, and the most heinous at Hyderabad, where Dr Priyanka Reddy, a veterinary doctor, was brutally raped, smothered and then burnt by four culprits!
Though the police encounter of the rapists may hurt the human rights activists, ever wondered the trauma a family undergoes whose daughter is raped? It is shameful how a family is made to run from pillar to post but in the name of justice, they get another nothing but tarikh pe tarikh!
Remember, Justice delayed is justice denied! Hence, it is true that in Dr Priyanka’s case people’s power has won. But still, millions of rape victims are waiting for justice! Real justice will be won when every rape victim will get justice as speedily as Dr Priyanka!
