Justice For Victims

5 mins read
Justice For Victims
Representational Pic

Shahid Majeed Mir

Societies thrive on certain distinguished attributes. They are common and aren’t bound by religion, race ,caste ,sex like barriers. These attributes are common heritage of mankind. They are of immense significance, for they distinguish us from wild animals. As Aristotle maintained “Man is a social animal“.

Its meaning is amply clear. Society looks after needs of social participants. it provides them care and nourishment. The principles which govern them if violated attract social boycott. Those members are punished as per set norms and rules. Means to say the evolutionary makeup of society is based on well set rules and regulations for harmonious functioning.

What if the wild animal like activity is repeated in so called scientific age.

21st century is overstated as the rational age of humanity where individual right and dignity supersedes all things in common. But the horrific crimes against humanity especially molestation of women and their subsequent murder is a mimicry of our worth as human beings. In the backyard of Jammu and Kashmir, a minor Asifa Jan was abducted on 10th January 2018 by some locals and kept under unconscious state for more than a week. They tortured the child in wild manner and kept her in the Temple to undercover the incident.

 This incident traumatised the family and they went on searching only after to get inside temple the rosy but dead body of Martyr Asifa Jan. Then after asking her father about the search he reveals “we didn’t looked for her in the Temple on pretext of it being Sacred place “. Whenever one thinks about the horrific rape of barley 8 years child in a desperate situation, the whole mystery of humanistic principles seems lost in steam.

On the one side of Kathua episode the Police after taking cognizance of matter came under doubt due to in serious attitude. After this Government ordered Crime Branch investigation which reversed the whole scenario and took whole India to flames. Hindu Ekta Munch staged protests to shift case to CBI and raised doubts about Crime Branch investigation.

 Herein the Representatives of people and the Democratically Elected Cabinet Ministers also think it necessary to participate in these protests. Barring this Justice itself in the form of Lawyers or Jammu Bar Association also took to streets for polarisation of society.

It’s ironic on their part to support the criminals by wearing Black suit. Are they lawyers? Is this the way Bar Association should be? Is Slathia Suited to Chair? It’s only after SC’s suo motto cognizance that Bar Association seems to have took Chameleon route to demand justice for Asifa.

But the Humanity demands them to be put behind bars without enquiry? Isn’t the probe of stopping Crime Branch official for 5 hours to file charge sheet sufficient to prosecute Slathia? If the Cabinet Ministers are compelled to resign after criticism, the same be applied to Slathia as well. And those whoever supported protests be took to task. This drama brought the weakness and shame of humanistic ideals at fore but the Chargesheet went a step further.

As per report “the rape was intentionally directed at nomadic community to create fear and psychosis and the child was targeted to achieve the aim. It was conspiracy and pre planned murder and rape involving some top brass officials and Temple Guard as well.

This charge is a clarion call and the way the crime was committed is a ploy to create chaos and ruckus. The murderous incident shook the consciousness of humanity. The New York Times dedicated a full article aimed at highlighting the gruesome situation. The barbaric way of giving shocks and the use of medicines on empty stomach of unflourishing flower is cruel.

 As is maintained the Cask wine men invited one of them from Meerut UP to partner them in crime. All this happened and the Local Police doesn’t manhunt to nab the culprits. Later the involvement of Police to destroy evidences speaks volumes about the administration. The statement of Crime Branch in this way is valid that, it was a pre planned and intentionally carried out.

It was only after a wide cry in public that probe intensified. And now the CM talks about Capital Punishment for culprits. Did it augur well to support government whose Ministers are involved in protests? Does the consciousness support the step of exceptional behaviour of some people? As is said “when the Flower flourishes wild grasses can’t hinder its progress”. It’s the same Court where a Female lawyer (Pandit) took case on her own despite all odds.

 And questioned the action of Slathia in the case. She went a step further to question if it would have been Hindu and committed by Muslims, if it would have been my daughter of daughter of Slathia. She also levelled charges for threat and abuse .This is the purpose of education and intellect.

Unless and until morality touches the inner corridors of man, education is siphoned away from both meaning as well as value. Later on Supreme Court took cognizance of the lawyer’s safety and directed J and k government to ensure it. These instructions are welcome on part of top court to make trial a success.

 In a latest improvement SC has stayed the process till May 7, the next date of hearing. On the other side Bar council of India gave clean chit to Bar council of Jammu over its response especially demand for CBI inquiry. This narrative is dangerous seeing the gravity of situation. It also raises eye brows on J and K police’s integrity. Is CBI the lone investigation agency? Is JK Police inefficient to hold inquiry? The millions of questions over this stand make one feeling down in dumps.

 But for being the communal bound issue, it seems something is fishy. Either political actors wish to play it as political tool or they seem to be insensitive about it. Whenever the issue of majority and minority syndrome comes into play, the situation isn’t expected to be different anymore.

 Till now the probe as envisaged in the Chargesheet documents seems gruesome when analysed through lens of humanity. It exposes the myth of morality and morals in absolute sanction of wild animals. The response and reaction of some miscreants is obviously a childish play to martyred girl child. It dictates very gruelling future message unless rectified in a quick manner.

The establishment of special court and passage of ordinance is step in right direction. But “Ending criminal doesn’t guarantee ending crime “. Our whole society needs to evolve the morals for peace harmony, stability , equality etc. Otherwise we are bound to fall under our own weight.

Now the probe is almost over and the conspirator and abettors are exposed. The need of hour is to amplify the formal trial and punish the culprits. CM cast a wider net by writing to Chief Justice Of j and K for FTC (fast track court). Now the onus lies on the judges to rise above established law rule to natural justice seeing the intensity of matter. It’s not just rape, murder , POSCO violation etc but intended to communalism and polarise the society.

To harm the peace and stability by attacking the vulnerable section of society. No punishment except Public Hanging is justified in such case. Let the law proceed with specific pace and the culprits be punished. But as a society barring religious and regional distinctions, there’s a need to critically analyse the ploy of men who know no bound , no religion  and no humanity.

 On the one hand Beti Bachao Beti Padao programmes are held with fervour on the other Unnao and Kathua are performed with alleged involvement of men in uniform. Ladli Beti and Women empowerment schemes are a mere rhetoric to politicise the issue and get the cards. Till now the adage of Politicisation of Caste is familiar. In coming future “Politicisation of Rape” is insight.

Asifa Jan is not a political tool and communal element but an aspiring like of small kid unknown about religion, caste, nationality, politics etc. The case demands a free and fair trial not the political statements of national conference or PDP or whatsoever. The sooner the case is brought to logical end the better it’s for society to safeguard the future.

Otherwise the brutality is on its inflexion point where no one else than oneself may be target. Let’s hope that politicians of the state will awake from slumber and coordinate efforts to punish culprit in less possible time. And the consciousness of Jammu people comes to their rescue otherwise disease knows no bounds.

Writer Shahid Majeed Mir hails from Misribehak Machil Kupwara and can be reached at [email protected]*

 

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