Letters: A regressive mindset

Apropos the report "BBC's documentary on Delhi gang rape banned in India"(March 5), the outcry against the documentary "India's Daughter" is uncalled for and a government ban is futile. In this age of technology, where almost everyone has access to the internet, you cannot stop anyone from viewing anything just by getting a restraint order from the court.

I think it is unfair to judge the documentary without viewing it. The documentary is chilling and correctly exposes the brutal reality of our male-dominated society, where women are victims of rape, domestic violence, dowry deaths, female infanticide and acid attacks. It shows the regressive mindset of the accused and his defence lawyers who blame the victim.

The accused said that nothing had happened to many others who had committed similar heinous crimes but a big issue was made out of this particular incident. This shows that our failure to punish other offenders, including many politicians, who are convicted of crimes such as rape is encouraging the ones like Mukesh Singh, who think that nothing will happen to them.

Some of the blame has to be shared by the judiciary, which hears bail applications of politicians on a priority basis, but takes years to decide rape cases, even if there is conclusive evidence. The documentary truly holds the mirror to our patriarchal society and we should face the reality instead of living in denial.

Reya Amrawat Jodhpur

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