We can not stop ragging completely; yet, we can decisively reduce its occurrence and contain the menace.
My suggestions are as following:
The freshers should be empowered; a toll free number and then real follow up stringent actions would go a long way in curbing this menace than shedding crocodile tears. Are we ready for some real action or we just want to engage ourselves in endless discussions?
Well well perhaps you think I’ve got pumped up by watching Anna Hazare :) May be I am :)
Lets make an objective analysis:
Most of the student (be they seniors or juniors) are against Ragging. They do not need any further counseling. Like in any locality, all educational institutions have their shares of baddies. So the real culprits are the die-hard criminals! And their number is very few, yet owing to a dysfunctional justice delivery system they are ruling the roost.:(
Calling a criminal a criminal and then punishing him/her hard is the need of the hour, rest all can pass :) Now if criminals would not be punished then God save the country...
Just remember how people started wearing helmets and seat belts in Bhubaneswar! Certainly not due to counseling ONLY! And do not panic; you do not have to punish a multitude! Just the really criminal minded ones, who derive sadistic pleasure by torturing innocent kids, will need the stick and that too only in the first year. There after there would be a change in attitude and such occurrences would become very few and far between. So thereafter the collage/ police authorities would just have to remain vigilant and committed.
Case study: the brutal murder of Navarasu:
Navarasu- the only son of Dr P K Ponnusamy, a retired Vice-Chancellor of Madras University- was a student of 1st year MBBS in Annamalai University, Annamalai nagar, Tamil Nadu. John David was a student of second year MBBS in the same institution.
Navarasu was cut into pieces; parts of the body including torso were packed in two separate suitcases by the accused- John David- as he bore a grudge against the deceased who had refused to write the record note for the convict who subjected him to severe ragging and cut his body into two pieces. The unfortunate incident occurred on November 9, 1996.
The trial court sentenced John David to life imprisonment in 1998 but Madras High Court acquitted him in 2001 holding that the guilt of the accused had not been established! The accused was acquitted because the police booked the wrong person; the VC died in pain and suffering while receiving condolences! Though, immediately after the incident it was known- to almost the entire nation -that John David did this. It was widely reported. It was also reported that John David came from influential back ground!
Very recently- April’ 2011- the SC tried to remedy the situation by reversing the HC decision; but my question is: is this justice? What kind of a justice delivery system we have in our country? And if we’d not call people like John David, ‘criminal’ whom shall we? In parting, would it not be fitting if I say “A criminal by whatever name smells foul!”
Do you like my suggestions? NO; then what holds you from pouring yours :) Let’s discuss :)
