Atrocities against Women

Atrocities against Women

A Joint House Committee of Karnataka Legislative Assembly has submitted a report suggesting various measures to prevent atrocities against women. If the report is passed, it will add to one more to our long list of legislation. We are having a plethora of laws on all and sundry subjects and enacting one more legislation is no panacea for the evils of the society. It is paradoxical that in a country having the largest number of laws, lawlessness is also the highest. No wonder, the crime rate-whether it is robbery, dacoity, murder, kidnapping, bride burning, rape etc. are all increasing at an alarming rate.

In India we are still following many of the laws passed decades ago. Most of them have become outdated and lost its relevance. Ambiguity is the hallmark of Indian legal system. Where the law is expected to be elaborate, it is silent and where the issue is immaterial explanation is elaborate. Even our constitution after 85 amendments is silent on many vital issues. During the colonial period rules were made with ambiguity so that it could be interpreted in this way or that way. It is unfortunate that even after 50 years of independence we are still following this procedure. Our hidden maxim of legal administration is “You tell me the person. I will tell you the rule.”

Atrocities against women are increasing mainly due to cultural degradation and consequent depletion in moral values. Invasion of foreign and satellite television channels have done considerable damage to our culture. Women should demand more representation in Censor Boards and ensure that more decorum is maintained in visual and print media.

Women who make loud protests against atrocities on the weaker sex are themselves to blame for many of the evils. It is a common phenomenon that in most of the cases the enemy is within though many people will not realise or recognise it. There is an old story that when human being invented axe, trees arranged a meeting. They expressed concern that their life will be in jeopardy. One elder tree consoled that no one can do any harm so long as they also become party to that. Similarly it can be seen that in majority of the dowry related cases women will be involved: either Mother-in-law or Sister-in-law or both.

Let us not enact more laws to simply remain as paper tiger. Let us not make law a cobweb where the poor and weak are trapped in and rich and mighty breaks it. The need of the hour is scrapping of outdated laws and standardisation, simplification and effective implementation of the existing laws instead of enacting additional laws.