Delhi Rape Case: An Appeal for Justice (My letter to Arnab Goswami of Times Now)

Dear Arnab,

Owing to my education in various Kendriya Vidyalayas in India, I have always been versed with our National Pledge “India is my country and all Indians are my brothers and sisters…”  But since those were younger days, we always chose muted silence when it came to declare that all Indians were our sisters as well.

But today, as we, the citizens of India have really lost a sister to the brutal rape and assault that happened in Delhi on 16^th December 2012, my repentance knows no boundaries. I feel responsible that I wasn’t there to offer assistance and protection when one of my sisters needed it the most, I feel responsible that tough I mouthed my National Pledge daily for 12 years I couldn’t do anything to stop some maniacs from devouring one of my sisters physically and mentally. Today, I am ashamed of my own existence as a MAN who could do nothing when it mattered the most. I so wish that I could go back in time and attend all those morning assemblies in school again and declare with a firm and loud voice that “ALL INDIANS ARE MY BROTHERS & SISTERS” and instill a firm resolve in myself and others that we will not tolerate crimes against women, we will not play a part in oppressing women, we will stand up for them and walk with them through thick and thin, offer them a hand when they need it and tell them that you don’t have to be scared, coz we are with you coz we are equal.

Arnab, my sister from Delhi though physically ceases to exist, but her death is a constant reminder for me of the pain and the suffering she must have gone through. The agony of her pain forces me to do whatever I can to ensure that a horrific event of this sort never happens again, ensure that the guilty are punished severely, ensure that the laws are amended to ensure complete and total safety for women, ensure that the system changes and ensure that I don’t have to ever mourn another tragic death like this.

Thus, I have decided to keep her spirit alive. I have decided to keep protesting through fast and prayers. I have decided to give up on “ROTI” one of the three things that binds the AAM AADMI like me together apart from “Kapda” and “Makkaan”. I have decided to fast and eat only once throughout the day until the guilty are punished, the system reformed the laws protecting women are made more stringent. I wish I could have done more, contributed more, but again I have a family to run. I don’t know whether you will ever get to read this mail or not, I know not whether my small protest will bring about any change. But I do know that if it does, I will be able to look into the eyes of other women again. Women – who are my mother, my sisters, my friends, my daughters, my nieces. My shame will reduce a little, my repentance will decrease.

Also, I would like to appeal to you, YOU, who are capable of reaching out to the “awaam”, YOU, who have the power to initiate change, please don’t let the fire die. I appeal to you to raise questions and keep raising them unless action is taken, justice prevails and change beckons. Probably then, our mother, sisters, friends will be able to forgive US.