Reaction to Fr Cedric Prakash’s article “Raping Mother India”
Raping Mother India
Sir,
CCV has done a yeoman service by publishing the above-captioined incisive article of Cedric Prakash SJ. Let me offer my humble appreciation to the author. The article should be read by each and every citizen of India, with conscience and humaneness. May she or he be proactive and rise above petty partisan religious and political considerations so that WE Indians may walk with human dignity; our heads held high among the community of HUMANS as caring and concerned people for the weak and the disadvantaged. In a sense we are all in the predicament of the defenceless young girls vis-a-vis the callous and heartless powers. Help us Mother India from the dire situation. Please allow us to wake up everyday morning without night mares and dread.
Varghese Pamplanil.
Both Fr Cedric's article captioned "Raping Mother India" and Vargheseji's letter in response are wonderful.
But what is the clear-cut solution to this menace when the recently passed ordinance on Death Sentence is considered a No No by Human Rights Activists and not a good deterrent by several experts?
If there is no exemplary deterrant/punishment, our jails would be full with rapists! The government would then have to make more Correction Homes (for juvenile rapists – what an irony) to pander to their demands which may stretch to demand for girls/companions, and even right to marry!!
Isaac Gomes
Dear Isaac,
There is no readymade solution to stop the atrocities against women especially defenceless young girls and the disadvantaged in the Indian society.
A humanistic society built on modern education, enlightened secularism will reconfigure any society. Urbanisation, rearrangement of the factors of production and other economic activities will alter social contours.
The overriding influence of superstitious religion, the tendency of the people to look for somebody else to solve their social and economic problems are the negative factors. A charismatic enlightened leader or a social reformer outside the domain of religion may be of help.
The scientific discoveries made by Copernicus, Charles Darwin and others, the French Revolution, Enlightenment, Intellectual Revolution, the emancipation of women, universal secular education, emergence of democratic polity and above all an open society preserving individual autonomy and freedom of choice liberated the Europeans from the overriding influence of religion and ushered in progress.
The powerful Indian State preclude a bloody revolution of the French type. Any attempt of the sort is foolhardy. The alternative may be the liberation of the mind from the hang ups of tradition and the nostalgia for the past. One has to discard old useless clothes.
The women of India should come out of their often self imposed shackles, assert their rights of their minds and sovereignty over theirbodies. They have to fight for their Sexuality and Sexual Freedom. Economic empowerment is the key to this liberation process.
History has shown that when cornered even a worm will turn and fight back for for the right to exist or as we say in Kerala the decile rat snake will become a King Cobra for survival. Let us wish for that day.
May be it is a pipe dream.
Regards,
Varghese Pamplanil