Politics of Rape

An analysis of the politics that is happening right now in Uttar Pradesh over the rape case.

Hathras gang rape episode has taken a dramatic turn where people have taken to the streets all over the country to fight for the injustice caused to a lower caste girl at the hands of the upper caste.

Initially videos were circulated on social media that showed how police burned the victims body in late at night without the family's consent, which became the crux of the issue.

This essentially flouts the religious convention of burning bodies only in daylight.Hence pointing fingers of some form of disposal of evidence by burning body in a speedy fashion.

From the start the police have been shown in the light of siding with the accused due to the manner it disposed the body and also how evidences against the accused weren't found. The DG even went on to say that there was no rape as their report says so.

The police and the administration failed in controlling the situation is the reality. They let it go out of their hands when they were seen as affirming the narrative that was being built up. The narrative being, the girl being gangraped and killed and police siding with the accused.

How the police concluded there was no rape is also amusing. Norm says in rape cases samples must be taken within 72–90 hours from crime.In this case evidence was taken 10 days later. How the police concluded from inaccurate samples that crime didnt take place is a serious case for introspection.

One after the other there were videos circulated at right time ,triggering the right emotions of the viewers to come down to the streets and protest against the injustice.

The video of DM talking to the family when the whole village was blocked from outside, opposition party leaders manhandled against entering the village, media stopped from entering,mobile phones snatched away from the vilalgers. All of these events showed the police in bad light and only added fuel to the fire of the rising protests

The suspension of police officers of low ranks were done a little late as the ideology of the protests were already established. The only way to quench the protests will be to arrest the accused and videos published showing them having admitting to the crime.

However the ruling party will not be able to do that as the accused are from the caste which form a strong base in their vote bank. Acting against them will act counter to their election results in the upcoming Bihar election. So that is why they are treading carefully in the whole case,not siding with any one for now.

This analysis shows the political interference that is happening in police.In such cases civil society must pressure the government to act,just like it was done in Nirbhaya case.

Merely trusting institutions like police,judiciary to act in the right manner is an ideal concept.In reality the people are in control and it is their will that will ensure justice will be delivered.

Justice delivery is ensured when those unaffected fights for it as equally as those who are totally affected by it.