Since 2017, Unnao a small village in Uttar Pradesh has always hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. In 2017, a rape victim from Unnao attempted self-immolation in front of the Chief Minister’s house. The victim felt compelled to take such a step as the accused was the local MLA and the leader of the area. The local administration danced to his tunes and so no case was registered against this all powerful politician despite repeated appeals by the girl. It was only after the act of self-immolation by the victim that the world came to know about her ordeal. With pressure mounting from all sides, the Uttar Pradesh Government had no other option but to hand over the case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). CBI did a fantastic job and within months the MLA was found guilty and sent to jail. But the conviction was littered by a number of disgraceful acts, the victim’s father died in police custody after the girl managed to gather worldwide support in her favour. Whilst the prosecution was on going, the car in which the victim was travelling was hit by a truck. In the incident, two persons accompanying the victim died and both the lawyer and the victim were gravely injured. It is miraculous that the two are still alive and the once political heavyweight is now languishing in jail.
Recently, Unnao has hit the headlines once again as three teenage girls were found lying in a field in an unconscious state. The three girls were related to each other and has gone together to collect fodder. Among them, two girls were pronounced dead on the way to the hospital and the third one is battling for life. On inquiry, the police learnt that a local lad had given a marriage proposal to one of the girls. The girl turned down the offer due to the caste barrier, following which he started disturbing her. On the fateful day, the boy along with a few friends obstructed the path of the girls and forced them to a deserted area and offered them sweets, laced with poison. Thus far, the police have arrested two persons but the others are still absconding. People are apprehensive that once the dust is settled, the police will not investigate the case properly and offenders will go scot-free. They are demanding that the case be handed over to the CBI but for reasons best known to them, the Uttar Pradesh Government is not interested in doing so.
Such things are not rare in India, the country is still not safe for women. Every time such an incident occurs, lawmakers vow to punish the offenders and make the country safe. But in reality nothing changes. The Nirbhaya case will never be forgotten, all the changes enacted in the law after the said incident now appear to be ineffective as there has been a sudden jump in the number of such cases. It is high time that all citizens of India come forward to save Her from earning the dubious distinction of being the graveyard for women.
