Mumbai as mirror

For years, the compelling image of an almost unending stream of women commuters emerging from Mumbai8217;s suburban railway stations was se...

For years, the compelling image of an almost unending stream of women commuters emerging from Mumbai8217;s suburban railway stations was seen as synonymous with the aspirations of Indian women to create economic and social opportunities for themselves. It was the facility of quick and efficient train services which ensured that an estimated one million women could commute to their places of work, shops, factories and offices, at all times of day and night, from distant suburbs in a space-starved metropolis. It was something of a testimony to the settled urban culture and mores of this city that they could do this in relative safety, in contrast to cities like Delhi, for instance, with their unconscionable high levels of sexual crimes against women and children.

Last Wednesday8217;s incident, where a 12-year-old mentally disturbed girl was raped on a suburban train plying late at night, was therefore deeply disturbing. It meant that the safety of the woman commuter could no longer be taken for granted. This is not just because such an incident had occurred 8212; but because it had occurred under the gaze of at least five other commuters who happened to be in the same compartment as the rapist, and they did nothing about it. It is the import of this public apathy to a heinous crime that has caused the greatest anguish. After all, more than an effective police, it is prompt and effective public response that acts as the greatest deterrence on crimes of this sort. If that cannot anymore be taken for granted; if fear of raising raising one8217;s arm or voice to protect a helpless child being savagely assaulted is so deep that five people are apparently immobilised, it means that even general public safety is in jeopardy.

The only development that makes for the faint glimmer of hope that such incidents will not recur, will not be allowed to recur, is the fact that today Mumbai, as a city, is being forced to introspect. People are asking questions that they have forgotten to ask for a long time. And one of the important queries that has surfaced is simply this: have we become so deeply anaesthetised by this business of simply minding our own business that we have lost our capacity to respond as citizens 8212; or even as plain human beings.