When Ruchika  Girhotra was assaulted by then Haryana police IG S.P.S. Rathore in Panchkula in 1990, we all were shocked. But that isn’t where this horrid tale ended! The innocent girl committed suicide 3 years later. Dear Ruchika’s life shouldn’t have ended like this. Now, 19 years later, the man responsible walks out of the court with a smile on his face and promising an appeal. Is this justice? Does Rathore only warrant “six months of rigorous imprisonment and a 1000-rupee fine” for destroying the life of an innocent girl and her family?

It has taken almost two decades for the Indian judicial system to produce a sentence for this criminal and the sentence has been announced based on Rathore’s old age rather than the fact that the girl was a minor. Rathore has all these years not only enjoyed elite government positions but has also been getting regular promotions. He was even made the director general of police in Haryana. Is it now time for the government at the center to look closely at the judicial system and make amends? 19 years later and still without justice, Ruchika Girhotra lost her life to a system not prepared to help her. How can we expect anyone else to believe in the system when we ourselves can’t trust it with our own problems?

As far as women empowerment is concerned, today India is leading the world with so many women holding top positions such as president of India, leader of the ruling political party, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, and speaker of Lok Sabha. But these symbols of women empowerment need to ensure that women at the lowest level should also get their due share. I am the father of two growing up girls and can very well understand the ordeal that family members of Ruchika and Aarushi would have gone through. Ruchika and Aarushi are few cases which have come into light but there are 1000s of cases which go un-noticed. Only going for candle light processions and writing on a Blog is not going to be the solution we’re looking for, rather the problem has to be addressed at the depth of our social fabric. More stringent laws have to be made to ensure that such offenders don’t get away easily and punishments should work as warning to future potential offenders. We must get this message to these vile, criminal people.

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