Capital punishment is the only deterrent,” said the mother of the 23-year-old paramedical student who was brutally gangraped in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012.
Two years have elapsed since the grisly incident but for the family of the rape victim, the trauma and pain that their daughter went through in the hospital is a nightmare they relive every waking moment. The only thread of hope they cling on to is the hope for justice.
“However, regressive capital punishment may be, there is nothing less that rapists deserve,” she added. Tears welled up in her eyes as she narrated the excruciating wait that the family has been subjected to as they wait for the justice for their daughter. Their misery has been compounded since they have not heard a peep about the next date of hearing after the Supreme Court stayed the execution of the rapists.
It is sort of a ritual for the parents who receive innumerable calls from politicians, social activists and various members of organisations to participate in programmes in memory of their daughter. They are often requested if leaders could join them on the second anniversary of the horrific gangrape that shook the nation’s conscience. They are conveniently forgotten after December 16 only to be remembered a year later.
“What is holding the authorities back from hanging those rapists and murderers when all the evidence is in placeIJ Nothing in India has changed since December 16, 2012. All promises and statements made by our leaders and Ministers have turned out to be shallow. Our suffering gives them their moment in limelight,” said the father of the victim. It has been two years that the victim’s parents are still fighting for justice. In these two years, there have been hearing the same details of the incident but justice has eluded them.
Justice delayed is justice denied and in this case, it couldn’t be further from the truth. “I don’t understand why the juvenile is being treated well. Age should not matter. What should matter is the gravity of the crime and that should be made punishable. My morale is intact but yes, there is a tinge of disappointment as the movement began but subsided soon after,” lamented the mother.
The parents feel that the recent rape of a woman in a cab in North Delhi’s area clearly shows the appalling failure of the Government machinery and the judiciary as the accused have not learnt any lesson. “Had the accused men in our daughter’s case been punished in time, the situation would have been different,” said the parents.
On being asked who should take responsibility for the crimes against women, the mother said everyone - that includes civil society, the police and the law. “My daughter too had asked an autorickshaw driver that fateful night to drop her to Dwarka, but he turned her down. Had the autorickshaw driver felt responsible then, my daughter would still be alive,” said the mother.