First of all, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind expresses grief over the sad demise of the young medical student following the ghastly act of gang rape and brutal assault. We extend our deep sympathy with the family members of the victim and demand immediate justice for them.
In strongest and harshest terms, we condemn the horrific incident of 16th December when the student was brutally assaulted by six men in a moving bus in Delhi. The culprits should be given maximum and exemplary punishment for their wild and savage acts.
We support the nationwide outrage against the brutal act. We support the demand of the protestors and common people for harsher laws and maximum punishment to the offenders of heinous crimes like rape. It is good that along with the masses, two top political parties of the country are also demanding harshest laws for such crimes. BJP has demanded death penalty while Congress has demanded imprisonment up to 30 years for rape convicts. Both parties have also suggested chemical castration (emasculation) of rapists as punishment.
Such demands point to the natural anguish over the heinous crimes like rapes. Addressing such natural urge, Islam has 1400 years ago prescribed capital punishment – and that too in public place – for rapists. This Islamic criminal law is very much relevant today and will always be so. The countries which are following this law have far lesser number of rape incidents compared to other countries.
We think that making stronger laws will be addressing the symptoms, not the roots of the disease. Harshest punishment will be just one of the deterrents to sex crimes. So the issue of rapes or other crimes against women should be seen in wider perspective. There is a need to block all the doors that are bringing in the disease. Apart from prescribing maximum punishment for rapes, Islam prevents all possible sources that promote the heinous crime.
Main factors of steep rise in sex crimes against women in India
There are social, economic and legal factors that have together contributed to the rise in sex crimes. Main factors are: Invasion of nude western culture; Commercialization of human susceptibilities particularly alcohol, gambling and sex; Industrialization of nudity and vulgarity (Through Film, TV and Internet); Industrialisation of fashion; Official patronage of alcoholism, drugs and bar culture; Weak laws; Sluggish judicial system; Low conviction rate; Role of Police.
Social and commercial factors
In last few decades particularly after the inception of globalization era the nude, godless western culture has invaded the rather religious Indian society resulting in the change of both attitude and attire of the people. Sex crimes have always had great connection with alcohol and drugs –it has been proved in both social and scientific researches. It is widely known that alcohol increases the risks of unhealthy sexual behaviour. Yet, our country has commercialized alcohol, drugs and gambling. It is patronizing bar and disco culture. While Film and TV were already promoting nudity in the society, Internet in last 10 years has corrupted the young minds with unchecked floods of crude sex videos and photos available on internet.
India needs check on blind aping of nude western culture, commercialization of sex, complete ban on alcohol and drugs, check on the contents of film, TV and Internet. There must not be any place for nudity and nakedness in a civilised society. There should be a concerted campaign against all the manifestations of evils.
Legal factors
Apart from the social and societal reasons, the weak laws, low conviction rate and sluggish judicial system have also contributed to the rise of sex crimes in our society.
Criminal laws particularly those dealing with sex crimes like rape are very weak in our county. These laws do not support victims, rather put the burden of proof on victims themselves. An overwhelming majority of the rape victims comes from weaker sections who are not in position to take on the culprits and raise voice against them. The maximum punishment for rape in India is 7 years imprisonment. But the process of justice in our country is so long and complicated that culprits manage release using money and political connections and the rampant corruption in police and judiciary come in handy. The sluggish court system is resulting in few convictions in criminal cases including sex crimes. India’s conviction rate for rapes is no more than 26 percent. The court system is painfully slow mainly because of a shortage of judges. Our country has about 15 judges for every 1 million people, while China has 159. A Delhi high court judge once said that it would take 466 years to get through the backlog of court cases in Delhi alone.
First the anti-rape law should be made stringent. There should be capital punishment for crimes like rapes. Moreover, the convicts should be punished publicly to deter the potential culprits. Like crime is publicized punishment should also be publicized. The legal process should be fast-tracked and freed from the political and executive influences. Such heinous cases should be disposed of in a fixed time frame. There is an urgent need for police reform. There should be a campaign against all the factors that lead to crimes including rapes; neglecting anyone will have disastrous consequences.
Government committees
Jamaat welcomes the government decision to set up committees to review the present anti-rape law and find out measures to make the society safe for the women. We hope the committees will reach the root of the disease and find out the cure.
Justice Verma Committee
In the wake of the recent gang rape incident, the central government has appointed a committee of three eminent Jurists, Justice (Retd.) J.S.Verma, former Chief Justice of India, Justice (Retd.) Leila Seth, former Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh and Gopal Subramaniam, former Solicitor General of India. The Justice Verma Committee is looking into possible amendments to the criminal law for the quicker trial and enhanced punishment for criminals, accused of committing sexual assault of extreme nature against women. The committee was constituted on 23rd Dec. 2012. The last date of sending suggestions is 5th January 2013. It will submit its report in 30 days i.e by 23rd Jan.
([email protected] or through fax at 011-23092675)
Justice Usha Mehra Commission
The government has also set up a Commission of Inquiry under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Usha Mehra to look into the ghastly rape incident of 16th Dec. and also suggest measures to make Delhi and NCR safer for women. The commission will submit its report within three months, which will be tabled in Parliament along with action taken by the government. Suggestions can be sent to the commission latest by 10th January 2013.([email protected] or through fax at 011- 23022364)
Syed Jalaluddin Omari
Ameer-e-Jamaat (National President)
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
Assalamalaikum
i think jih aleeady sent it’s suggetions to verma committee. Jamath has to intiate a all india campaign to send large number of representations to committee, in democracy numbering will make differance. Unfortunately islamic movements in india are failed to lead the protesters across the country.i don’t observe any press conferance from zones, women’s wing reacted here and there ,we are reacting slowly. This type of issues needs spontanious reaction.in democracy peaceful demonistrations have much importance. These are considered as identification of the organisations.today many people are not suporting the death penalty, they are also proving their orgument by indian law,in this circumstances our representations in large numbers by sound orgument with law will only considered by the committee.
Assalamualaikum
iam sorry to comment that “we are against to imperialism, but we are using bisleri water how can we justify our our stand”
Is the following comment which reported in Times of Indian correct “Co-education should be abolished and proper education facilities meant exclusively for women should be available at all level of education. Educational institutions should prescribe sober and dignified dress for girls,” the statement said.
Can Jamath propose such illogical proposal in a country like India?
Assalamalikum
Dear, what ever jamat is proposing is not as per your logic but it is as per the Quran and Sunnah. Also one should know that what ever the things proposed as per the Quran and Sunnah is very much logical and very much as per the human nature.
Such proposals seem illogical considering the prevailing situation. However, there are hundreds of things around us which were unnacceptable when considered initially and eventually they became part of our life. Its about belief. If you believe in something and persist with it, miracles do happen. So, keep Believing and at least chanting something even if you have absolute no hope of it becoming reality..
According to Times of India report, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has submitted 11 suggestions to Justice J S Verma Committee on ensuring safety and security to women.Some of them:
Capital punishment for rape.Punish them in public view.
Abolish co-education.Prescribe sober and dignified dress for girls.
Sex outside marriage,including live-in-relationship should be declared illegal and punishable
Alcohol,the root of all evils and crimes,particularly against women,should be banned.
While the dress code can be attributed to rape and other crimes, why such things are happening in Madrassas where proper dress code is followed. Why Jamaat-e-Islami encourage women to accompany men to mosques for prayers if they oppose co-education?
By open invitation I mean unbiased and open heartedness towards all