India may be the world’s biggest democracy. But the brutal gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in New Delhi reveal a darker side to modern India, where not all lives are considered equal.
The death of the girl known only by the pseudonym Amanat has touched a chord. Her appalling injuries and the randomness of the attack have brought thousands out in spontaneous protest against a culture where abuse of women is too often tolerated by individuals, institutions and government.
Though India’s constitution guarantees women equal rights and opportunities, in everyday life they remain second-class citizens. More girls than boys die of malnutrition, and more are deprived of medicine and education. Discrimination begins even before birth. Abortions of female foetuses have skyrocketed, especially among the better-educated middle classes. And, as more women enter the workforce, violence against them is on the rise. Seven of the 10 fastest-growing crimes are against women; rape tops the list.