Rajasthan, the state carrying rich cultural heritage and vibrant traditions is witnessing a sudden surge in rape cases. This distressing trend is raising concern among every citizen of the state.
According to the NCRB report 2021, 31,677 rapes were recorded in India with Rajasthan recording the highest number of rape cases in the country.
Observing the last five NCRB reports, it can, arguably be said that Rajasthan is day by day becoming the "RAPE CAPITAL" of India. In 2017, 3305 cases were reported in the state while in 2018 the number increased to 4335.
In 2019, a total of 5997 cases were reported, following that, in 2020, a comparatively low number of cases [5310] were recorded.
In 2021, Rajasthan unbelievably broke all records by reporting the highest number of rape cases, which amounted to 6,310 cases. Among these cases, 4,885 cases were of adults and 1,452 were of minors.
The gang-rape of a minor girl (15) in Mandawar village of Dausa district in which the son of Congress MLA from the Rajgarh assembly constituency was among the 3 accused.
The 2018 Kota rape case of a three-and-half-year-old minor girl could not be forgotten, where the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment, and a fine of a meagre 20,000 rupees was imposed on the accused.
The horrifying rape case of a 7-month-old baby in 2018 in the Jaipur district by a 19-year-old boy took the nation by shock overnight. The accused was later awarded the capital punishment.
Many such heinous cases are reported in the state throughout the year and the government is repeatedly targeted by the opposition for the unstable law and order conditions in the state, with the home ministry resting with the Chief Minister himself.
The state government was slammed by BJP state president Satish Poonia for ranking first in terms of rape cases against women in the country.
Poonia also said that in order to save his chair, the CM has forgotten his responsibility of stabilizing the law-and-order conditions in the state. He also added that rape cases in the state have become an everyday affair and nowhere in the state are women feeling safe.
According to the data presented by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal, 5793 cases of rape with minor girls were reported in the state from January 2019 to January 2022.
Back then Gulab Chand Kataria, the leader of the opposition, criticized the administration for failing to prosecute the offenders.
He said, “Despite Rajasthan having 54 special courts that deal with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, only 129 of the cases involved convictions of the accused”.
It calls into question the methods of inquiry used by the police in Rajasthan, 5 young girls are raped every day; the opposition challenges the government in the legislature in 2022.
According to Dhariwal, the police have detained 6628 persons for raping young girls. 398 defendants have been found guilty in 129 cases by the courts.
In 4631 cases, the police have submitted chargesheets. Only 283 cases have yet to have chargesheets submitted. Assuring prompt justice, according to Kataria, is the only way to stop crimes against young girls. Kataria questioned how the police were operating and why the probe was taking so long.
There are just 54 courts, Dhariwal retorted. More courts must be established in order to expedite proceedings on these cases. The availability of pornographic content on social media platforms is the primary cause of the rise in rape cases involving young females.
The fundamental cause of the increasing inhuman tendencies among young people is the filthy stuff on social media. Unrestricted delivery of this content encourages these kinds of incidents.
He stated at the state assembly's Question Hour that "this is a very serious matter. Even after such big claims, the number of rape cases reported in the state is a matter of grave concern with the brutality of the rapist increasing day by day.
A four-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped and raped in the Hindaun area of Karauli district in Rajasthan. The minor girl was allegedly abducted while she was sleeping in her house The accused allegedly took the girl far from the village to an isolated place and raped her. An FIR was filed by the victim's mother.
In Udaipur, a tragic incident occurred where a man kidnapped, raped and tragically ended the life of a young girl. After killing a nine-year-old girl, she chopped her body into pieces and stuffed it in plastic bags.
In yet another heinous crime, 7 people were detained in Rajsamand, Udaipur, Rajasthan in connection with the gang rape of a 13-year-old girl.
Children who lack adequate protection and direction are exploited in an environment of vulnerability created by poverty, illiteracy, and unemployment. Additionally, the state's pervasive traditional patriarchal worldview aids in the continuation of such crimes.
Minor rapes are on the rise as a result of ineffective police enforcement and a delayed justice system. The confidence of victims and their families in the legal system is undermined by delayed investigations, improper evidence gathering, and an enormous backlog of cases.
Instead of holding the offenders accountable, society frequently places the blame on the survivors, creating an atmosphere of fear and humiliation. This prevents victims from speaking forward and feeds the cycle of silence and lawlessness.
