The Event Day (Lohr)

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Indians in Germany hold candle-light vigil for Nirbhaya ‘We join our countrymen in mourning and protest’

Scores of Indians living in Germany accompanied by a good number of German citizens organized a candle-light vigil Lohr am Main, Germany in memory of Nirbhaya, the girl gang-raped in a tragic incident in Delhi. The candle-light vigil which was a tribute to Damini and also an avowal from Indians in Germany to join the public calls of protest and demands of stringent punishment to the guilty in our country. The participants of the candle-light vigil said Indians living in Germany join their countrymen to demand a secure environment, dignity and protection of women in the country. The participants of the event said like many other Western countries, people in Germany were appreciative of Indian culture and the social mores, but the brutal rape and murder of Nirbhaya and series of incidents of violence against women in other states has made the Indians in Germany hang their heads in shame. They said like other Indians spread all across the globe they are deeply anguished and agitated over the non-functional and dysfunctional organs/ departments of the government including Police. “We believe that lackadaisical approach by those who have the legal and constitutional duty to protect women and punish the offenders not only encourages the perpetrators to commit crimes against women but helps them to escape from the clutches of law,” said Indu Jalali who had organised the event alongwith other Indians and German friends. The participants extended their solidarity with Nirbhaya, her family and friends and demanded speedy trial of those involved in this heinous crime. “We offered to provide all kind of support, to the victim’s family and we will be privileged if it is accepted,” they maintained.

Time to introspect...

Yet another heart breaking news from my country India. 5 year old girl in Bihar raped and killed. As if the Delhi gang rape incident was not enough to make me go restless. Day after day one hears about such traumatic and unfortunate incidents taking place in one or the other part of our country. We give an ear to it and then as usual continue living our lives because we are so confident of the fact that "IT CANNOT HAPPEN TO ME, SO WHY BOTHER". Exactly what we think about another menace called CANCER. We have this feeling that it is something that is not meant for me. Sadly but the fact is that I/WE can be a victim, today or tomorrow.

Time to think and take these incidents seriously and ponder upon. What is it that we as a part of civil society can do to STOP these shameful acts?. It is not only our responsibility but the people governing us also have to play a major role in it. BUT again we all know how it is back there?. To expect our Leaders to do something out of box for us is unimaginable unless and until they dont see their benefit or we don't force them to come forward !.

We have to continue mount our pressures and make the Governing bodies realize that RAPE is something which we wont tolerate happening anymore in our society. We will not subject ourselves, our daughters, sisters, mothers, friends, wives to this heinous crime and if it happens God forbid, we will raise our voices and throw you out.

The laws regarding RAPE need to be mended. We need application of law and not the application of personal views. We need a faster criminal justice system. We need police doing their job. It is here where lapses take place, it is here where a case is decided. It is here where a judgement is passed weather to prove innocent or to prove guilty, it is here where a women's integrity and honor can be restored back. We as a society have to force for an effective Policing which will be a beginning for removing such shame from our society.

Then back at home we have to ensure that we treat our kids at par. We have to ensure that we don't differentiate and make boys feel in any which way superior to girls. We have to stop growing that male ego attitude at homes and also have to encourage our daughters to be self dependent, strong and someone who carries her own opinion. We have to teach our children to respect humanity and the  Laws of the land. We also should start with sex education at schools and home as early as possible. The more we suppress issues related to SEX the more curiosity and opportunities to experiment with it are thrown open, which in turn is and can prove very harmful.

We also have to ensure that our Films, TV serials, theater and other visual mediums send  positive messages in the society. We take our films and dramas very seriously and are used to getting influenced by them very easily. In Films and dramas we should stop glorifying unnatural things which is beyond the reach of a common man. We should stop projecting our female character as showpiece, helpless or as suppressed "NAARI" who is always at helm of some Superman. Project our females as they are today, strong, stable, independent and with her own mind and someone who can be fat who can be average looking who can be wheatish and yet emerges as a winner without the help of a so called called Superhero or for that matter anyone else. Remove this image of "ABLA NAARI" and portray us as we are strong, intelligent, independent and capable of taking care of ourselves.

Also our NGO, Corporates, Clubs etc will have to come forward to help in spreading education amongst the poor section of our society and from time to time giving various motivational tools which will encourage them to think in a different way.

I also think  that we need to bring more women to education and jobs, especially on streets. 

As Brigham Young has rightly said “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.”

LET US BEGIN!