Where is our conscience?

I was at the food court of a mall when I noticed sudden commotion near the television screens. Horrific news of molestation of a teenage girl in Guwahati, in front of a bar was being telecast with chilling visuals. The news displayed how the nightmare for the girl continued for half an hour during which she was stripped, molested and abused, in public. The gruesome act was recorded on camera and nobody seemed to intervene during her tragic ordeal for a long time! While I am writing this article, the incident has already taken many murky turns and the episode appears to be lethal combination of filthy politics, greedy media and hooliganism at its worst. In this incident, the nation witnessed yet another death of basic humanness that connects us all. 

I was shocked not just by the incident but the reactions of the people watching it at the mall.  A man in his thirties called people saying, "tv par news dekh, mast story dikha rahe hain" (watch news on television, some interesting story going on) with lecherous smile. Some people remarked, "Are kuch nahi, woh ladkine kuch galat kiya hoga." (Perhaps, that girl must have done something wrong) smiling perversely as if aroused by some titillation and indicating licentious character of the girl. On the table just across mine, two ladies in their fifties screwed their noses saying "ye aajkal ki ladakiya! Sharm aati hain ye sab dekh kar. Pata nahi inke maa baap inhe kaise palte hain" (one feels ashamed looking at such girls these days! Wonder how their parents raise them)! 

The only people who appeared upset were a group of teenage boys and girls sitting at the next table who started discussing angrily how the guilty should be HANGED in public. I became numb with disbelief after watching the tragic plight of that helpless girl on news and appallingly insensitive remarks of most of the people around me. It made me think what would be their reaction if God forbid, their own daughter/sister/wife/mother or a member of their own family was subjected to such horrible predicament?

This is what we have become as society. Nothing affects us! With every passing day, learning about new crimes that should shame us as human beings, makes me wonder what is happening to our collective intelligence and conscience? In the times when the most gruesome crimes are covered by media in salacious manner to cater the insatiable need for TRPs, what can one expect? If the television channel has allegedly 'scripted' this whole episode, the license of the channel should be terminated. The political angle in this shocking incident makes me puke. Perhaps, this case would disappear in oblivion and the victim will be silenced or will continue to suffer in process of getting justice for years.

As nation, we are not ashamed. Not even by some of the most heinous crimes of inhuman sexual perversion or oppression of women. Crime has become such an integral part of our life that we have started getting voyeuristic pleasure out of it! 

I bemoan lack of will and vigilance that any civilized society should display and be accountable for. It is deeply saddening that we still lack the basic education in humanity. But let us not forget that the first few steps towards that basic education start from home.

We claim to honour and worship Goddess "shakti" and respect her personification in women. Our true face is unmasked in female infanticides being devoured by sewages from rural as well as global metro cities. Our true face is exposed in charred bodies in dowry and tandoor deaths. Our true face is completely bared in hanged bodies of "honour killings" and painfully disturbing cases of inhuman abuse. Should a nation that does not respect dignity of its women have moral right to worship Goddesses in puja rooms and temples? Let us stop being hypocrites!

For any democracy, people losing faith in its government and suspect credibility of media, is dangerous. I am afraid, we, as nation are already on the brink!