A Planet to Change

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A Planet to Change

Isanee Sengupta


Last night, a girl from another state called me over the phone, asking in Hindi, "Madam, sirf doctor honge toh hi saza milti hai, agar koi khet me kaam karne wali ho toh!" ("Madam, only in the case of a doctor will the offender get punishment; what about those who work in agricultural fields!")

She worked with me as a semi-skilled labourer in my archaeological fieldwork. She used to talk about all her doubts, life struggles, the outside world, and definitely how to cope with those. But I could not ask her anything this time. I thought that it would only nurture her pain more, as I already felt that she must be talking about some known person, maybe a friend, a sister, or a relative.

Let's not focus on the addition to the list. Here, the issue is not about any religion, caste, profession, gender, or any other specific background; it is not about any specific modus operandi. It is now a way for offenders to make others see that "if you are stuck on a lower ground than me/us, then stay there silently. Otherwise, your life will be a living hell." A never-ending cycle of oppression has systemically captured the world.

There will be many theoretical approaches to explain this, and I want to leave that for the reader as I am going to explore the practicality of this socio-economic force, to keep the space to deal with it.

"The lawyer also claimed that Mukesh Singh’s co-convict in the 2012 gang-rape and murder case, Ram Singh, was murdered in jail but the case was closed as a suicide. Ram Singh had been found hanging in his cell in March 2013." (News18.com, January 28, 2020, 23:16 IST). This was in the news of the 'Nirbhaya gang-rape case.' Though it was closed as a suicide, later on, his lawyer also claimed that Ram Singh was sexually abused in jail. We have heard of many cases like this where physical assault happens inside the jail, like senior inmates ragging newcomers. Has anyone ever wondered why this happens? Where one criminal shows a tendency to commit crimes against another criminal, it is the notion of supremacy; in that situation, an individual starts to believe they are the strongest and feels the need to demonstrate it. From the recent incident of killing a pregnant elephant brutally in West Bengal to multiple news reports of rape cases throughout the country, in each instance, a target is determined by assessing how vulnerable the being is and how easily they can be dominated. These categories of crimes are frequently committed merely to assert the criminal’s power and to intimidate those who oppose them as a warning that they will face similar consequences if they speak out.

This persistent cycle has continued for ages, leading to reduced space, land, and food, escalating environmental pollution, and a decreasing habitability of the Earth. Consequently, such crimes are becoming more frequent. Nevertheless, the world is organized around the idea of mutual dependence. If this unchecked destruction continues, it will ultimately disrupt the Earth's ability to sustain life, leading to potential conflicts between the powerful and the less powerful. And to anticipate what might come next, it seems like most of us in our species might not endure.

Trying to escape a system that has endured for thousands of years, or even just imagining breaking it, is a form of denial. This denial encompasses interconnected major sectors like politics and war. We now need to focus on creating consistent laws and regulations worldwide so that, before humanity becomes extinct, we can leave a legacy on Earth for future species or subspecies.

Reference:  News18/Was I Sentenced to be Raped?’ Nirbhaya Case Convict Tells SC He Was Sexually Abused in Tihar Jail/https://www.news18.com/news/india/was-i-sentenced-to-be-raped-nirbhaya-case-convict-alleges-sexual-abuse-in-tihar-jail-2476511.html/ on 28.01.2020












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