Ibonio D’Souza
The whole world is aghast at almost the daily incidents of horrendous rapes and crimes against innocent children and women in India with the government of the day remaining virtually tongue and hand-tied to contain this crass cruelty and insanity. Studies tell us that these atrocities which are increasing year to year are committed by individuals 98% of whom are known to the victims, and most of such crimes go unreported for fear of retribution, often times at the behest of police. In mere five months into the year, we have heard of some of the most brutal acts of rape and torture carried out against children across the country: at Kathua, Unnao, Aruppukotai, Jind, Panipat, Surat, Lalunggaon, Gajipur, and Chattarpur.
Every 15 minutes a woman is raped in India. Every 2 minutes, a woman in India is victim of a crime. A government which fails to protect its children and women is not worth its salt. People are shell-shocked and disillusioned at the dismal state of law and order which situation if ignored can certainly engulf the country into an uncontrollable and violent backlash of agitations and turmoil all over making all the more mockery of the ‘ache din’ mantra glibly repeated day in and day out. What is really wrong with this country? Is this called a democracy?
As in all areas of governance, we have enough laws at our command and yet there is no difference on the ground for the simple reason that we have no moral compunction to enforce or obey the laws for the general good and welfare. Why? It is simply that we do not truly love our land. We are more concerned about are rights over duties. Corruption rules the land presided over by our leaders, and so corruption has become a way of life. What sort of a future can there be for a people and nation where morality and patriotism is in such a deficit?
Some years back Pope Francis asked men to be less macho and listen more to women. He was underlying the truth of basic man – women equality, and hinting that the world needs to “listen more to women” to balance itself, with more feminine energy. Indic scriptures too state that feminine energy is distinctive, because it is powerful, yet tempered with virtue. She is full of wisdom, compassion and sacrifice. If men and women are equal in essence and equal to modern day challenges, in society and home, what is the edge that women have in today’s context? The edge is their basic qualities of compassion, of mutual cooperation, tolerance and sacrifice. These virtues are abundant in the feminine psyche and not so evident in the male. Battles and wars in history have been waged on grounds of ego, dressed up in another garb. What the world needs to survive is not more male machismo, but feminine energy, that is intelligent and balanced..
Feminine energy that inclines toward preservation, restoration and healing, is the very basis of creation. It is high time that society understood the importance of allowing for expansion of the base of this energy for a better, more peaceful and balanced world for the benefit of all beings.
