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Members of the Koki tribe hold banners during a protest in Churachandpur district, in Manipur, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (File pic/PTI)
From the case of Bhanwari Devi to Nirbhaya, News18 has delved into some of the most heinous crimes against women in recent times.
History is full of examples of women being abused for revenge. Such cases were rampant in Mughal times, for example. Reports say that the horrific incident in a video that recently emerged from Manipur is also the result of rivalry between two tribes and an act of revenge.
News18 looked at some of the most heinous crimes against women committed in recent times, which have rocked the nation, led to political animosity, and also created opportunities for some.
BHANWARI DEVI RAPE CASE
This incident which took place in a small village near Jaipur, in the year 1992 resulted in guidelines being drafted by the Supreme Court on workplace sexual harassment (also called Vishaka guidelines). Bhanwari was raped at dusk while working with her husband in the field. Two of the attackers pinned down her husband, while others took turns sexually assaulting her. Her crime – she was defending child marriage which was rampant in parts of Rajasthan. Bhanwari Devi belonged to a lower caste potter family, and her usurpers were the powerful Gujjars, who were acquitted. One of the strange reasons given was that the village had men over sixty who were not capable of rape.
Kathua case
The rape and murder of 8-year-old Asifa in 2018 is still etched in the memory and caused much unrest in Jammu. This was at a time when the PDP-BJP government was in power in J&K. What became a turning point in the politics of what was then a state was that this gave an opportunity for Mehbooba Mufti to finally assert herself against the BJP. It was accused earlier of being affiliated with the Saffron Party in the coalition. Under pressure from her side, two government ministers had to step down after they supported a rally organized in support of the accused.
Nirbhaya case
This was a case that sparked nationwide alienation. A girl was fatally raped in the national capital while traveling on a bus with her male boyfriend on a winter night in 2012. This also led to the tightening of the anti-rape law and sparked a debate over the juvenile justice law, where one of the perpetrators was a minor. The Nirbhaya incident occurred when the United Progressive Alliance was in power and Sheela Dikshit was the Chief Minister of Delhi. There were street protests. Faced with criticism, the central government turned to action and gave her the best medical treatment, even sending her to Singapore, where she died. As the trial went on, the BJP and the AAP government in Delhi got involved in a scuffle, until the accused were finally punished.
Hatras case
The “rape” of a Dalit girl in Uttar Pradesh, and the acquittal of the accused, raised political temperatures in the state in 2020. It also gave a political advantage to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who, along with her brother Rahul Gandhi, decided to lead to Hathras. She was stopped at the Delhi-Noida border and sparred with the police. She also gave her slogan “Ladki hun, lad sakti hun” for the UP elections. It didn’t help her though, losing Congress badly in the state. But for the party, a leader is born.
These are just a few examples when the events of rape shocked the nation and made people question those in power. Despite the tightening of rape laws, not much seems to have changed on the ground. Women still used to score points.
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