Re: [IAC#RG] Justice Verma Report: Verma commission report draws armed forces' fire

Dear Ravi

Thanks for your contribution.

I am sure you will appreciate that Ms. Mustafa brings her own Point of View with her wide background in journalism into this discourse which should be addressed head on instead of laterally.

We should do everything to ensure that the PoVs of the lady members on our list, and especially on a women's rights issue,  are not drowned out by a cacophony of jingoistic male sentiments as she apprehended.

I'm sure you will also acknowledge fairly that the ratio of males to females in the armed forces, like it is on this list, is completely skewed. If our IESM's attack our female members so ferociously, then what is the essential difference between them and those (alleged) rapists on the bus?

In fact I would go so far as to say that if IESMs are representatives of the armed forces, then Ms. Mustafa has made her point - ie. a section of armed forces are capable of or prone to rape

Sarbajit

On Mon, Feb 4, 2013 at 10:14 PM, Ravindran P M <raviforjustice@gmail.com> wrote:

I certainly can see through your blinkered views. You seem to be forgetting that the army's role is safeguarding the integrity of the nation. In other words, protecting our borders. It is only when the politicians, bureaucrats, police and the judiciary have mucked up the law and order situation in any part of the country that the army is called in as a last resort and so far they have done a good job of it. But, the thankless people we are, have not let go any opportunity to malign them. Though most of the allegations are initiated by anti-nationals, quite a few gullible citizens also take the bait and keep crying foul. It should be understood that the army would only love to go back to barracks from all the places where they are employed in anti-insurgency operations.

And coming to police, judiciary etc and the de facto protection they get even without any special laws doesn't need any elaboration. Forget about crimes involving their own personnel but even in other cases the way investigators, advocates and judges act hand in glove to derail justice is common knowledge for every common citizen. If Seema Mustafa doesn't know it I really wouldn't want to comment on her competence to comment on these issues.

ravi

On Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 10:37 AM, seema mustafa <seemamustafa@gmail.com> wrote:

The issue is about AFSPA that covers only the armed forces and not the cops being used to protect even those guilty of rape. And while I am quite prepared to face the usual barrage of jingoism, the fact remains that there is documented evidence of such rape and rapists going free in the conflict zones of India. So while cops and politicians and journalists and lawyers and teachers and every single man guilty of sexual assault needs to be tried and punished for rape, it is also essential to ensure that there are no special laws that protect him under the guise of national security. 

Seema Mustafa