India in recent times has noticed
a strong protest against social crimes, especially for crimes against women.
Many stakeholders, intellectuals and political leaders have recommended that a
stricter law with capital punishment will be the solution to the problem; they
believe that this would act as a deterrent.
However, a closer analysis
reveals that such a proposition lacks deeper understanding of the social issues
that the country faces. Before suggesting capital punishment should not we
review whether we have managed to implement the existing rules? Should not we
dive deeper into the reasons underlying the increasing incidents of such
unacceptable behaviour of youths? If capital punishment has failed to stop
murders in the country, how will it stop rapes and assaults?
Let us look at some of the issues
that play a vital role in making the mentality of youth sick and biased.
Equal status to women
Unfortunately we have not managed
to provide equal status to women in our society. Preference for male child is
common even among the educated elites of the society. The biased sex ratio of
the country is a huge indication of the accelerating social mayhem that the
country is leading to. Sex ratio is going down with time and people cutting
across income level and social class are overt about their liking for males. It
is mere optimistic to expect that the capital punishment will solve the problem
when we as a society lack behind in providing equal status to women.
Police Service
Our police service is closer to
politicians and rich individuals than to the Indian mass. Rules and regulations
are implemented depending on the economic income level and social image. A poor
man getting tortured by police while filing an FIR is not uncommon in India.
Then on what basis it is being expected that capital punishment will solve the
basic roots of the issues. When it is difficult to lodge an FIR, no
investigation is carried even one manages to lodge an FIR; how can the provision
of capital punishment stop crimes.
Judicial System
If you are not a businessman or a
politician, chances are high that you will get dates after dates before you
actually know the judgement. Though higher courts like High Courts and Supreme
Court have proved their commitment to the rule of land, lower courts are still
notorious. When the judicial system is not robust, will capital punishment be
awarded to the culprits who have man and muscle power?
The solution of the issues faced
by the nations requires long term strategic investment in nation building
activities including:
·
Providing better education access to all
sections of the society
·
Building an atmosphere of gender equality and mutual
respect
·
Ensuring speed and empathy in judicial system
for timely implementation of existing rules
·
Investing in women and female children so that
the sex ratio start improving
All these facets of eradicating
crimes require time and effort. However any quick-fix solution will make the
system even worse creating a feeling of distrust among masses and will take
people farther away from the political and administrative process.
