Q: Crime against women is increasing in this country. From Delhi Bus rape to Mumbai photojournalist rape to Asaram sexual assault case, you have so many examples. How do you read it.
Brinda karat: I think there are several reasons. One reason is that the conviction rate is so low that criminals in india believe they have a license to do what they want to and to commit crimes, more so against vulnerable sections like women and young children. You can't stop these crimes unless you strengthen the law enforcement, unless security agencies could arrest the accused, and the follow up of legal cases and unless you really do have fast track courts that can punish the criminals and send out strong messages. It's not the stringency of the punishment in which there is gap. People say hang them, the problem will be solved but it will not help.
Q: That's what Sushma Swaraj said in parliament.
Brinda Karat: I don't agree with that at all. It's meaningless slogan. The point is you are not even getting an arrest. You are not even getting a conviction. Out of every 100 people accused, 73 walk free. So if you hang one person how will it stop 73 walking free? So therefore you have to first ensure the increase in conviction rate.
Number two, politics and the political language and the political license that some leaders have in using the most sexist language against women, in blaming women for the crimes against them, in talking about their dress code, their language and the places they are visiting. Today one third of rape cases are against children. So are you going to say that a child is dressed in a particular way? So this is a shame on this country.
And politicians and political parties and parliament itself should develop a code of conduct under which MPs or MLAs who make such outrageous and objectionable sexist remarks against women should face action by their peers in the parliament. There should be strong disapproval of such comments in parliament itself. And the third point is because of the strength of son-preference culture in India. Boys are brought up to believe whatever we do, we can do. So son-preference culture is so strong in India that from childhood itself boys think that this is what boys do and this is really something we need to fight.
