Our cowardice exposed
The story behind Ruchika’s suicide is shocking. When it comes to taking on the police or the underworld, we, the common man, tends to keep quiet, bear the insult and injustice, and forget the whole thing as a bad dream. What her friend Aradhana and her parents have done deserves a ‘bravery award’. If there is an award for compassion (in this case for the now-dead Ruchika), if there is one for perseverance, if there is one for passion for justice; it should all go to them! Ruchika’s family was on the run but Aradhana and her family continued the battle. Aradhana had to come all the way from Australia to continue. They have set an example that will encourage many hesitant justice seekers to strive for what is right.
—Dr Virag Gokhale, Mumbai
II
The sarcastic smile of the former Haryana IGP Rathore immediately after his conviction is yet another sad reminder of how unprotected our innocent children are. Almost 19 years have elapsed since Ruchika was molested by Rathore. All these years we have been witnessing nothing but subversion of justice and suppression of clear evidence by people in powerful places. As part of a systematic harassment plan the victim was suspended from tennis association and was also thrown out of her school. The perpetrators didn’t even spare her brother by framing 11 criminal cases against him. Rendered helpless against such powerful people, she took the ultimate step by committing suicide. The law commission had already recommended clear provisions to recognise and punish child abuse with severe punishment up to 7 years. But sadly even after 10 years it has not been implemented.
—VV Narayan, via email
Tightrope walk
In his article Steep incline ahead (DNA, December 23), S Nihal Singh has rightly stated that Nitin Gadkari’s main role is to steer the party to power as well as strive for organisational consolidation. For this he has mentioned two benchmarks which will judge his leadership in galvanising the BJP. It appears he has missed to mention the third benchmark that he has also to deal with those stalwart BJP leaders who have least allegiance to the RSS ideology and who may gang up against him. It could be a tight rope walk for Gadkari when he sets out to achieve his goals.
—RM Deshpande, via email
Dissecting India into villages
We have all heard arguments and opinions of our politicians and the people across the nation about the creation of smaller states, specially during the TRS chief K Chandra Shekhar Rao’s fast unto death for the cause. It is observed that the so called demand was coming mainly from regional political outfits which seemed to be restless without identity and personality-oriented politics. However, these very leaders are conveniently forgetting the amount of money involved in carving out a new state. Here, I would like to ask: Will this carving out of a new state ensure food, shelter and clothing for the huge population still living below poverty line? What for are the states having districts with district administration? I would say that the need of the hour is not new states but strict district administration with accountability. They must wipe out poverty and backwardness. If this is not acceptable to our polity, then the last recourse — a demand that may not be far off — is to make every district into a full-fledged state by which every leader can at least become a minister in his own village.
—PL Thomas, Mumbai
Political uncertainty
It is unfortunate that the results of the Jharkhand assembly election threw up a fractured verdict (Chastening verdict, DNA, December 24). Though this can be said to be a strong message from the electorate to the political parties, the hung assembly in itself is a blot in the history of the state. Jharkhand has been reeling under political uncertainty and poor governance since its inception. The voters have missed an excellent opportunity to punish the corrupt politicians.
—Bichu Muttathara, via email
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