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THROUGH THE SAME LANE: Cases of female sexual violence against the mighty and the due course of action

31/8/2013

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Though the race of homo-sapiens claim to be the most developed species on Earth and proudly state them as a part of the continuously progressing society, however this developed society itself is replete with heinous crimes against women. Sexual atrocities and violence against female are one of those. Flipping through the newspaper or viewing the news in the electronic media imparts a crystal clear idea about it.

The ones who are engaged in all sorts of sexual violence against women belong from different strata of the society. The criminal justice system of the country which under the constitutional framework, takes into accounts these crimes and ensures justice to the victims through a proper series including apprehension, prosecution, defense and finally the verdict, vouches that law is same for all and anyone pleaded guilty must be punished. However, in the due course of time and certain heart wrenching incidents put forward a totally bizarre picture of this justice system and taking note of the cases of sexual violence against the ones maintaining a high and mighty social stature, every case has been moving through the same lane.

If the one alleged of any sexual atrocities against women is a common man, without political backing, within hours of the complaint the accused is picked up by the police. Forget, sexual violence accused, if anybody belonging form that stratum even has slightest of involvement in anything of that sort, the police ensures that the fellow is behind the bars. On seeing or hearing this, one might assume that how well our police works!! Pats on their shoulder!! But, the story doesn’t end here, if any accused of such abhorrent act is from the political class or with a political patronage or even is someone potent, the accountability of the police and the system is lost somewhere. Under such circumstances perhaps a new sort of system tends to upshot. When the accused is a potent one, firstly the accused disagrees to the allegations, in the second step when evidences tend to develop in bits and pieces, the complainant is declared as mentally unstable or something absurd. Later, the accuse claries his stand stating it as a political conspiracy, but the shocking face is that, even after so much of happenings, the accused is still to be nabbed by the authorities, and thus he continues to move freely.

No, the above stated stuff are not at all bogus, rather certain incidents of the past have gives a clear image of what’s being stated above. The most recent one is the controversial self styled Godman Asaram Babu’s accusation of raping a minor, where the same course of action followed. Here initially he began by calling the victim as someone mentally unstable; in the due course of time the victim’s family was being continuously threatened of dire consequences if the complain isn’t withdrawn. Speaking on the context of the politicians, as usual forgetting their onus they continue puddling each other. Some so-called youth leaders and politicians like Manish Mishra, secretary of Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha(BJYM), which is the youth organization of the BJP, continues to character assassinate the victim calling her mentally disable on national television. Congress is as always, chanting simply ‘the law must take its own course’ song. And in the midst of all, Asaram is moving from one city to another, rather more specifically from one congress ruled state to another and BJP ruled state and so on. And the progresses so far in the case is that Asaram is just being issued summon by Jodhpur police, where he is yet to decide, whether to appear or not.

Asaram is just one example; there are thousands that one could quote which would be a clear indicative towards the unaccountable administrative and political system. In this case the victim has been brave enough to come forward against such a powerful and influential person and off course the media has been kind enough to continuously follow the story, but there are many whose cries are lost in the crowd due the irresponsible and failed system, including political, administrative and the justice. Infact, the politicians whom we choose as our representative somehow tries to find a way to move out of the matters, calling the victim of sexual assault or rape either mentally unstable or being a part of political conspiracy and later when they go to the parliament, these same politicians will utter the similar dialogue, claiming to be with the women of the nation and care for their safety and security always.

This gives a reason to introspect how far we have come and how much we have been developed, to claim ourselves as human. As Indians we are very well aware that the system needs to be changed, but when, how and who, still remains the biggest question. 

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YOUNG WRITTERS MAKING IT BIG IN THE WRITING WORLD

28/8/2013

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The increasing number of novel enthusiasts and ever increasing readership has certainly attracted young writers to step in the writing arena. Harsh Agarwal, who made his debut in the publishing industry at the age of nineteen, comes out with his second novel, An Excursion of Insight, published by Lifi Publications.

The story revolves around the lead protagonist Sonam Dorji, who comes from Bhutan and takes up admission at an engineering college situated at Silchar, Assam. Though Sonam has plans, dreams and aspirations of his own, and is sure enough to not fall in love, however though at times the writer turns out to be philosophical, at the end the story proves to be a candid love story, as Sonam falls for Sarika. Even though the story doesn’t have any hidden mysteries, yet one can enjoy reading it.

The little stuffs of engineering life, the enjoyments of hostel and campus life and the beauty of Assam, situated in the north-eastern part of the country has been very well carved out by the author. The author through his writing takes us from the valleys and tea gardens of Assam, to the hullabaloo of student life and eventually to an Excursion of Insight.

The author himself a third year student of Mechanical engineering from NIT, Assam, certainly proves to be an inspiration, specially for the youngsters that being someone from the technological background, one with an interest in writing and with a voracious approach towards the literacy world, can easily come up with flying colors.




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ANSWERING YOU: My journey so far and what lies ahead

27/8/2013

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My inclination towards journalism is very much being influenced by family and friends. Right from my childhood I was born in an environment where, was always taught to raise my voice against the wrong and speak for the society’s upliftment. As a child one thing that my parents always taught me was to speak freely without any fear.

But, more that speaking I was interested in writing. I was always being appreciated my teachers and seniors because of my writing. My writings were basically on the social issues and showed my perception regarding the various happenings of the society. As I am from Assam and Assam being a politically sensitive region gave me enormous chattels for writing. Thus, the pointer of my writing slowly shifted towards the political happenings. Until my school days, my writings were confined only to the happenings of Assam and I had a very least knowledge of the scene in India and around the globe. Also, at school I only had the sense of writing, but speaking publically on issues was far behind my imagination.

After completion of schooling my journey of college like began. For my higher secondary I enrolled myself in one of the oldest and most prestigious college of Assam, Cotton College, which was established in 1902. In college I slowly began to realize that if my knowledge continues to be only confined to only the happenings of my state then, no matter how well I write, I will land up nowhere. Also I must have the knowledge of public speaking. So, I decided to expand my knowledge, which I started off with reading the newspapers thoroughly and watching news patiently.

My college was considered to be the hub of students’ politics in Assam and while in college I began experience politics, politicians, its pros and cons very closely. Being associated with student politics I also experienced the darker side of politics. It was in college that I took writing seriously and began writing for various newspapers of Assam and other websites. Also during college days I was a part of numerous anti-corruption protests and participated in various other social activities. It was in college days that I came in contact with activists like Medha Pattkar, Sandeep Pandey, Aseem Trivedi, Arvind Kejriwal and our very own Akhil Gogoi, which inspired me to fight for the social causes and fight for the basic rights of the people. But, I always wondered how to move with this fight and this was where the seed of journalism began to grow in my mind.

After completing my 12th, it was time for me to make a serious decision about my future and taking such a crucial decision was never easy. I knew that if I choose journalism, life would going to be very tough and full of struggles, however if I go for other choices then I might led a somewhat comfortable life. But, to do what I really wanted to, journalism was my last and the ultimate choice. I pursued journalism as a career, but as there was no sound graduation courses in journalism in Assam, so I opted for Delhi and landed up at Sharda University.

Other than my close acquaintances, amongst all who know me, I guess very few people are aware that other than working as an independent journalist carving out articles for various news portals, magazines and newspapers; presently I am also pursuing graduation in Journalism and Mass Communication from Sharda University. After my classes began at Sharda University, I felt as if this was what I was longing for and this is where I have to bring the best out of me. After I am done with my graduation, I want to go into hardcore journalism. As we all are aware that the major and heinous problem of the society is corruption so as a journalist I don’t want to keep myself simply confined to journalism. I want to use journalism as a tool to fight corruption in the society and specially the political corruption. There lies a very important and powerful tool with the common people i.e. Right To Information (RTI), which gives enormous power to the common people to question and to know. As a journalist I want to make full use of the RTI and unearth corruption and inform about it to the mass and while doing it, journalism will work as a backup for me.

The subjects that are being taught here at Sharda University will be very much helpful for me. Being a journalist I want to mix journalism and activism. As a journalist to reach the mass, hear their problems and bring it out to the outer world. It’s true that the task is very difficult and there must be a ground breaking planning for it. So, after BJMC I want to directly step into industry and start my work. Though, it’s said that degree is important, but what I believe is more than degree experience matters. So after BJMC I won’t directly go for MJMC, but I will start working. 
After I complete my graduation in Journalism and Mass Communication I will step into the active and full-time media coliseum. I want to be specialist in investigative journalism and in long term I see myself as a renowned political analyst of the country.

However, it’s till now just a thought and yet miles to go for the real task. But, with the brilliant, cooperative and friendly faculty at Sharda University, I am pretty hopeful to make it big in the journalism industry.


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