President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday signed an ordinance to pave way for providing stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.
The bigger question is how to get those convictions on time. There are so many ways in which Justice is delayed in India that its inevitably denied. Take for example the Kathua and Unnao rape cases. Local Police forces did not even register the FIRs and almost denied any hope of justice to the victims’ families.
Till date no exemplary action has been taken against the officers of UP police or J&K Police. Further the Political-Police nexus seen in both cases is a start reminder for the pending police reforms. Its a known fact that without a capable and impartial policing criminals will flourish. Without empowering the officers on ground to enforce the will of law no judge will ever see a public prosecutor presenting a well investigated case. Perpetrators will almost always be released for ‘lack of evidence’ and ‘benefit of doubt’.
The questions are systematic, the disease deeply entrenched. The Central government, as usual, has offered symptomatic treatment. When it was Nirbhaya, the UPA offered a bank, BJP offers a new law. Meanwhile our kids keep on getting raped and mauled to death.
