Saturday, December 22, 2012

A LETTER TO DAMINI-The Delhi Rape Victim

A Letter from the common man to Damini - The Delhi Rape Victim.
                                                                                             (A copied excerpt..)

This letter will probably never reach you, Damini. And if by chance it does, I hope when you're feeling a little better, you read it.
Outside your room in the hospital, outside the corridors smelling of medicine, outside the operating theaters, the world is crumbling. Thousands of people are protesting, signing petitions, updating facebook statuses, writing to the PM - all to bring justice to the accused. Some people want them hung. Some want them castrated. Some want them to be handed over to the public.

Obviously, none of this will actually happen.

I read in an article somewhere that death penalties can only be given to the rarest of rare cases. And (it continued to say) that unless the victim dies, it cannot be eligible for a rarest of rare case.

Kasab qualifies because he killed many in cold blood. Your rapists apparently don't.

We live in India Damini. A country of complications and contradictions. A country with age old laws and age old people fiercely guarding them.

I got an invititation on facebook today. It read "Save women". The event was at India gate, I believe. I remember shaking my head when I saw the invitation. Save women? All in the course of one day?

Things are not looking good Damini. Not for you, not for Delhi, not for India and not for humanity. People are people, but only bodily so. Inside, they're animals. A man guns down little children in a school. Someone murders his own mother. Four drunk men rape and almost kill a defenseless woman. No, things aren't looking good at all.

Perhaps the damn Mayans were right. Perhaps the world is going to end.

Because as far as I'm concerned, this is the end, right here. When humanity fails, there's nothing to look forward to. All the education we've received, all the upbringing we've had, all the degrees we've religiously collected, all the Gods and Goddesses we believe in - amounts to precious little if at the end of the day, we're but as wild as a beast.

And even animals are better than us.

Outside the hospital, there's a blame war raging. The BJP's blaming the Congress. The Congress is blaming it's Police force. The police force is blaming the society. The society is blaming the party in power. And so, like passing the parcel, everyone's shifting their baggage of responsibility to the next person.

Meanwhile, the people who really care, the people who are affected, are organizing protests and candlelight marches. The people who care, are praying for your speedy recovery.

Because Damini, the truth is this.Nothing else can be done.

Shinde says measures are being put in place. No more tinted windows. More patrolling. Speedier case hearings. But you know and I know, and I know that you know that these are mere words.

In a few days, there will be more sensational news. (Paris Hilton coming to India perhaps, who knows?) And you will be forgotten. Your case will suffer the same fate hundreds of cases of despicable crime has suffered -they'll fall into a void of nothingness.

Damini, I wanted to apologize to you.

Because I don't think you've heard it yet. And you need to.

I apologize on behalf of all the men who stare, the men who strip women nude with their eyes inside lifts on a regular basis. I apologize for the men who justify such acts by pointing fingers at the clothes that women wear. I apologize for the police officer whose hungry eyes make you think twice about writing a complaint.

But most of all, I apologize for the scarring trauma and pain my side of the sex has caused you.

From all the Men, We wish you a speedy recovery.. :'( :'(

Obviously, none of this will actually happen.
I read in an article somewhere that death penalties can only be given to the rarest of rare cases. And (it continued to say) that unless the victim dies, it cannot be eligible for a rarest of rare case.
Kasab qualifies because he killed many in cold blood. Your rapists apparently don't.
We live in India Damini. A country of complications and contradictions. A country with age old laws and age old people fiercely guarding them.
I got an invititation on facebook today. It read "Save women". The event was at India gate, I believe. I remember shaking my head when I saw the invitation. Save women? All in the course of one day?
Things are not looking good Damini. Not for you, not for Delhi, not for India and not for humanity. People are people, but only bodily so. Inside, they're animals. A man guns down little children in a school. Someone murders his own mother. Four drunk men rape and almost kill a defenseless woman. No, things aren't looking good at all.
Perhaps the damn Mayans were right. Perhaps the world is going to end.
Because as far as I'm concerned, this is the end, right here. When humanity fails, there's nothing to look forward to. All the education we've received, all the upbringing we've had, all the degrees we've religiously collected, all the Gods and Goddesses we believe in - amounts to precious little if at the end of the day, we're but as wild as a beast.
And even animals are better than us.
Outside the hospital, there's a blame war raging. The BJP's blaming the Congress. The Congress is blaming it's Police force. The police force is blaming the society. The society is blaming the party in power. And so, like passing the parcel, everyone's shifting their baggage of responsibility to the next person.
Meanwhile, the people who really care, the people who are affected, are organizing protests and candlelight marches. The people who care, are praying for your speedy recovery.
Because Damini, the truth is this.Nothing else can be done.
Shinde says measures are being put in place. No more tinted windows. More patrolling. Speedier case hearings. But you know and I know, and I know that you know that these are mere words.
In a few days, there will be more sensational news. (Paris Hilton coming to India perhaps, who knows?) And you will be forgotten. Your case will suffer the same fate hundreds of cases of despicable crime has suffered -they'll fall into a void of nothingness.
Damini, I wanted to apologize to you.
Because I don't think you've heard it yet. And you need to.
I apologize on behalf of all the men who stare, the men who strip women nude with their eyes inside lifts on a regular basis. I apologize for the men who justify such acts by pointing fingers at the clothes that women wear. I apologize for the police officer whose hungry eyes make you think twice about writing a complaint.
But most of all, I apologize for the scarring trauma and pain my side of the sex has caused you.
From all the Men, We wish you a speedy recovery.. :'( :'(

18 comments:

Easwar Arumugam said...

I do agree with you. Nothing happens in this country. The epithet 'Govt Machinery is more applicable to India since people at the top are no longer human beings, but heartless machines. It is history that some of those who had committed the heinous crime of rape in the past went free even after the Supreme Court had punished them. This is due to their mercy petitions to the Ex-President which was disposed in their favor. God save the country

Always Craving said...

I do wanna ask where iz d case of that girl whu was molested in guwahati just 4 months back?

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Always Craving said...

Its nt nly d case of nt reveling the news jst by exchange of a lakh rupees. There are 3 more news out there like the rape at luckhnow other one at banka and the worst of all iz about dat 3 year gal of delhi by her own father. Don't know wen we ll change. God knows.

Unknown said...

Not only women ... Save every kids including boys and girls...No-one is safe in the home itself.. Protect new generation from phyco.

Varun Vembar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Varun Vembar said...

brilliant and well put,to say the least.but instead of saying what wont happen and highlighting faults, it might be better if you did mention what could be done.

Always Craving said...

If i wud be knowing wat iz 2 be done. Wud i still be so calm nd silent.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Varun Vembar, instead of pointing out the shortcomings in the letter of the unknown writer......why don't you suggest some valid and possible solutions and complement him......

Always Craving said...

I m nt an unknown writer 4 Mr. Varun Vembar

Anonymous said...

I am a woman and I feel the pain like every women is feeling. Atleast damini's situation made people to wake up and protest but what about those who were raped and not a single voice was raised for them. What about two ladies asiya and nelofer of kashmir, of whom one was pregnant, were raped and left to die along a stream. What about those who were raped n tortured n electrocuted, and are still alive, dealing with this pain everyday.nothing is done for them, and even their families have abandoned them. Was a voice raise? No. Was a protest done? No. Was media active? Hell no.What have we done for more than thousands and counting women of j&k state who were molested. Shame on us n every person of this country.deep down everyone is responsible for rape of a women..its not only rape of a women bt our values our society our existence.

Always Craving said...

I agreed with u. But if the case iz more in j&k i feel its the problem of people living there. Other people lyk u nd we need to raise against these criminals.

Anonymous said...

i agree with the letter above-mentioned so well and full of truth and honesty. even we as a woman after a beautiful moments with our husband could feel lil pain in our vagina so i could feel yours too my dear Damini. Your pain is so unbearable by anyone. i really wish if you could born again and i want those cowards to be alive till then so that they may be punished by your good hands. I'm so sorry for not aware of this unfortunate bcos i wasn't well and didn't even watched TV for any latest news since two weeks ago. When my husband told me about you, I was almost like a dead body even before he could finish telling me the whole story. you have had faced the worst in this birth so i'm so sure you could be fully armed and forced when you are re-born! We want you back for the sake of this world! pls come again DAMINI!!! I'll wait for you...i'm sure the world could recognise you when you re-born and grows up...may god bless your soul and may you be a guardian angel to your shattered family...amen

Anonymous said...

those men are ruthless ... making them eat shit & drink urine will not satisfy us , the protesters .... they should just be cut off their respective penis & left nude to die in the middle of the road of dilli ...

Always Craving said...

It's ur own view. I don't thubmsup wid u in dis regard.

Anonymous said...

I don't the minority can change the world...India as a nation needs to change its attitude and move with today world...women are no longer second class citizens and they stand shoulder to with me...and yet as nation you let all your women down...i'm sure Damini is not the first or last woman that this will happen to before anyone takes a stand for women to actually change. India needs to redeem itself from this incident in the worlds eyes,by firstly hanging the corrupt bastards in the government along with the rapist for start. As longs as these bastards are in power you will change nothing!!! but tis only my opinion...Its how we in the west see India right now!

Anonymous said...

You speak the truth that many have not heard. well said, our world IS coming to an end...

Always Craving said...

Thanx for ur +ve response on my views