A society in transition, or one bordering on collapse?

transport is poor. The citizenry is frustrated at the lack of water, power, education facilities and good medical care. There is corruption at almost every level of government.

rape in a country where the family’s mother is such a revered figure is indeed a shameful indictment of the level to which morals and values have fallen in contemporary Indian society.

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DESIGN Danielle Cairis

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PAWAN LUTHRA

The capital of India is a city on the verge of a nervous breakdown. And this is not only because of the uproar caused by the brutality and senselessness of the fatal attack against a young woman on the streets of Delhi in mid-December. Or the manner in which the government reacted to protestors who took to India Gate to vent their anger at the system that has continued to fail them.

Once an international visitor is past the gleaming new arrival hall of the international airport, one can witness Delhi in full flow. While there are countless flyovers in the city, the sheer number of cars on the road causes endless traffic jams. Good car drivers are as rare as hen’s teeth!

The city has now expanded to encompass NOIDA in the North and Gurgaon in the South. The necessary resources of water, electricity and sanitation have yet to catch up. Public

When a senseless attack such as the one on December 16 hit the headlines, frustration at the system boiled over. People want action and they are demanding improvement in the system. That the next victim could be your sister, your wife or your friend, has brought this crime home to most people.

There are demands to hang the alleged offenders; others want a more excruciating punishment. The challenge however, is about how to change the system. The incidence of rape in India is alarming. According to the Times of India, there are over 15,000 rape cases waiting to be dealt in 5 courts, and these are only the ones that have been reported. And that’s not counting the ones not reported or withdrawn. Shamefully, as the Delhi rape case made headlines in major newspapers with reports of protests, there were pages filled with reported rape cases from the previous day from around India, carried over to other pages in most cases. The culture of

Both the police and judiciary have a lot to answer for. There is one police person for over 150,00 people in Delhi, whilst world standards are 1 for 30,000. A police force with a long-standing reputation of being susceptible to corruption hardly endears confidence in the system. Women driving their cars are told that they should not slow down at police check points after midnight if they are travelling by themselves. Hardly a show of confidence if you cannot trust the ones meant to protect you! The judiciary is under-resourced with cases taking upto 15 years to resolve. Justice should not only be done, but be seen to be done, and swiftly. In India, that is a pipedream.

What happened in Delhi makes one ashamed to be Indian. One can only hope that the current agitations will allow for a sensible long-term solution to be found. No person in India should ever have to go through what that brave girl went through on a casual night out in mid-December.

FUNdRAisiNg

Friends of the Children fundraiser dinner

16 February, 2013, 7pm onwards, at Richmond Town Hall, Bridge Rd, Richmond Mel way 2h B-6. Friends of the Children Foundation’s dinner and dance fundraising event. Cost $75pp, includes $30 tax deductible. Donation recept issued. Includes beer/wine and A3 course meal. Contact Jasbir Bedi on 0424245217 or visit www.friendsofthechildren.net

Walk for Children

24 February, 2013 at Jells Park, Oak Picnic area, Mel Ref 72 A-10. Fundraising walk for the Friends of the Children Foundation. For more details visit www. friendsofthechildren.net

Celebrations

FiAV Australia day People’s March and indian Republic day saturday, 26 January. 10am march commences from corner of Burke and Swanson streets, followed by lunch at 12noon at the Indian Consulate at 344, St. Kilda Road. Cultural activities will be held from 3-4pm at Alexander Gardens.