Welcome 2013, but Remember 2012 – The Call for Change.

Sanam Arora,

President, National Indian Students Union UK

India mourns the passing away of its brave daughter on 29^th December 2013. Subjected to the most brutal of attacks, this unfortunate girl finally succumbed to her severe injuries at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. We are all deeply saddened by her untimely death and offer our deepest condolences to her family and friends.

But as the nation mourns her death, let us be reminded of how she died. She died protecting her dignity and her being. She died wanting to see her perpetrators punished. Let us ensure she hasn’t died in vain. The Indian masses have taken to the streets in protest. More responsive government action is demanded, and rightly so. As the nation is united in anger and grief, we want to set aside a moment to reflect. Many blames are being laid. Not enough police was out there. The Indian rape laws are weak. There isn’t enough security for women. The list goes on. But let us take a moment to remember our roles in society. We are the Government. We are the Police. We are the Victim and it is also US who are the criminals. While superficially we can have stricter laws, it is imperative we bring about a change in our attitudes. The Indian Society needs to change. The call for change has never before shone as brightly as it does today. We need to bring about a change in our mind-set that is heavily inured to patriarchy. Sixty five years our country has been independent, yet, are we ‘free’? Free of ourselves? The sad answer to that question is in the negative. This is a question the very existence of which is a reminder of the failure of Indian society.

Delhi is widely known as the ‘rape capital’ of India, a sickening achievement for the capital of the country to have attained. While on the one hand, India is ‘shining’, on the other hand, more women are raped in its capital than anywhere else in the country. This distressing incident reminds us yet again of the fact that only a minority of the crimes against women including rape and domestic violence get reported. What of the majority that don’t even make it to the files? The appalling reason why most sexual crimes in India are not reported is due to fear of social ridicule. The greatest need of our times is to bring about a change in our mind-sets.

We can only repent in one way – by ensuring no other woman in India has to go through such horror. This will only happen through sustained efforts on our part – mine, yours, and every Indian’s. We must work towards a society that is just and equal. Where women aren’t subject to medieval stereotypes of how they must dress and look and be restricted in when they venture outside their houses. Let her death not go in vain. Let us unite and bring about a turning point in Indian Society.

Finally, thank you for taking the time to read this message. We hope you will join us in offering all our support and condolences to the victim’s family and friends. May her soul rest in peace.

Yours Sincerely,

Sanam Arora,