Where The Mind Is Without Fear

Rapes are becoming some kind of everyday chore in India now-a-days. Much has been talked and written about this national shame of our country and there is no point in beating the same bush again and again. Something drastic is to be done. And without delay.

The root of the problem lies in the attitude of a vast majority of men towards their opposite sex. Despite all our social advances,our society remains largely patriarchal. The concept of male dominance is so deeply embossed in our psyche that a good number of us frowns at a lady going above a speed of 40 kmph on her Activa. Nothing else is more in-tolerable than a woman on her scooter or car overtaking us men,despite that however slow we are going.While its a common practice now-a-days for parents to send their sons abroad for higher education, we dont hear much of them sending their daughters as well to a foreign university.

We should do something to do away with this chauvinistic approach towards women,if we are to find any permanent solution to the crisis that India faces now. The logic being that,if man begins to treat woman as his equal,naturally he would treat her with respect.Of course, that is not at all an easy feat, nor is it an immediate solution. But if made possible in some way, nothing else would prove to be a more permanent solution than this. So is there some way?

There are indeed some suggestions. As the key point lies in shaping the attitude,any effort towards it should be primarily made at school level,that too at lower primary level,where any instruction recieved leaves a marked impact on the rest of one's life. Imitating the model of instituting environmental education in the curriculum, moral instruction could be instituted in the curriculum as a compulsory subject,dealing with various moral issues that the society faces today and the stand one should take in those issues, in an age-appropriate manner. Eventhough there is moral instruction in place in many schools already,that is only a voluntary option for school managements and there lacks a uniform system in a pan-India fashion. Moral instruction should be legislated and made compulsory in schools,atleast upto 10th standard. Care must be taken in presenting the subject,both as interesting and with enough seriousness,should ever such a legislation occurs.

Another suggestion is to promote more mixed schools and colleges. Sense of equality and respect can only stem among the youth,only if they learn and work together.It also serves the purpose for  those children who doesn't have siblings from opposite sex or any siblings at all.

For the above suggestions to work out properly,there is a primary requirement that education be easily accessible to all sections of the society. With the Government making primary education a constitutional right,a major step has been taken in this direction. Yet,factors like attitude of parents-mostly of less developed areas,lack of infrastructure and lack of quality staff still holds the project from achieving its desired goals.

While punitive actions by the government and self defence measures may prove to be of temporary deterrance and safeguard,we shouldnt be so lax to ensure the safety of our women and the ethical quality of our society by such quick fixes. The authorities should be prudent enough to take steps to mould the coming generations as the advocates of a new India, where a woman's mind is without fear and her head is held high.