Brutal gang rapes near Delhi while Modi celebrates in Guwahati

Remember Nirbhaya? Who could forget the most brutal rape of a young Delhi girl on the streets of Delhi in a deserted bus on a chilly December night of 2012. Oh, my God, hell was let loose around India Gate; and rightly so. Hundreds marched to demand punitive action against the rapists. Anna Hazare lent his support to the rising crescendo of storm gathering against the then UPA government.

That was four years ago, and is history now. Well, four years later, on the eve of the Modi Government’s third anniversary celebrations, another Nirbhaya is repeated barely 25 km away from Delhi. Worse, this time though it was not one woman who was raped, but four!

The entire story is quite chilling. It unfolded in the most bizarre fashion. It so happened that a group of about eight persons of one family decided to visit their relatives in the close-by city of Uttar Pradesh, Bulandshahr.

None of them could have even the faintest idea that they were rather in for the worst nightmare of their lives. In the early hours of May 25, their car was hit by some strange objects on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida, which is barely few miles from Central Delhi where the Modi Government with all its majesty and might sits.

The car had to be stopped soon as it was punctured. Lo and behold, as soon the car stopped a gang of six persons waylaid them. The car passengers had no time to react as they were immediately dragged out from the punctured vehicle and taken to a nearby field where the worst was awaiting them.

One man, around 38 years, was shot at point blank range in the field because he resisted when his wife, sister, mother-in-law and another woman travelling with him were being gangraped in his presence. The poor man was declared brought dead by a Noida hospital where he was rushed.

Imagine, four women being raped on the borders of New Delhi barely 24 hours before the Modi government began celebrating its completion of three years in office. Today’s newspapers across the country have a full-page advertisement with Modiji waving and the add line announcing: Saath hai, Vishwaas hai, Ho raha Vikas hai.

Indeed, that’s a catchy ad on Modi government completing three years in office. But, does the Greater Noida appalling incident of four women being gang-raped on one of the most celebrated highways of India really evoke vishwaas (confidence) in the Modi government?

In fact, the Modi government had repeatedly highlighted ‘women safety’ in the run up to the 2014 general elections.

Certainly not! But, Modi bhakts would surely put up the excuse that law and order is a state subject. Indeed, it is. But, who rules neighbouring Uttar Pradesh? None other than Modi’s own party BJP is in power there and Yogi Adityanath is the chief minister of the state.

It would not be improper to mention here that ever since Adityanath took charge of the UP government, the state has been in a mess as far as security matters are concerned. First, gau goons let loose a reign of terror across the state. Then, Saharanpur was pushed to a caste riot between Rajputs and Dalits.

A caste riot of Saharanpur type is sort of an unheard phenomenon. One does not know if the caste riots too has become the order of the day under Yogi raj in UP. After Saharanpur, Yogi now the gang rape of four women added as a feather to his cap.

Congratulations, Modiji on completing three years in office. You would be completing the full five-year term in office in another two years. Indisputably, you are still popular among the people of India. Repeated, electoral results, at least, are the clear signs of your continuing popularity among the people.

But, tell us honestly this: Did Indians bargain for the type of the country you are governing for the last three years? India has never been so polarised as it has been in the last three years. Liberal values of the Indian Constitution and Indian society have never been at such a discount as they have been in the last three years. Minorites, especially Muslims, are living under the shadow of constant threat. Goons in many states have taken over the streets in the guise of love jihad, cow vigilantes, lynching and caste clashes. Jobless growth is every day adding to the growing army of unemployed youth. And, now with what has happened to the women on the Yamuna Expressway has left women cowering in their homes.

BJP could perhaps win another election and may continue to be in power for many more years. But, the question is whether India is really moving ahead as a modern nation or it is heading backwards. The issue is being debated hotly on TV channels as the celebrations of three years of Modi raj goes on.

But, surely gang rape of four women close to Delhi tell a very different tale of Modi raj than what the government ads are trying to convey.

Zafar Agha is the Editor-in-chief of Qaumi Awaaz, a sister publication of National Herald