How Many More Nirbhayas? The RG Kar Hospital Rape Case is a Wake-Up Call

The recent horrific incident at RG Kar Hospital, where a woman became another victim of a rapist, highlights the stark and uncomfortable reality India faces today. Over a decade has passed since the brutal gang rape of Nirbhaya shocked the nation and the world, yet we still ignore the lessons from that dark chapter in our history.

The Unforgivable Legacy of the Nirbhaya Case RG Kar Hospital

After the Nirbhaya rape case in 2012, the nation cried out for justice, reform, and a change so fundamental that no woman in India would ever fear for her safety again. Yet, one of the most infamous aspects of that case was how one perpetrator, a Muslim juvenile, walked free after serving a mere three years in a reformation home. Authorities provided this individual with state support upon release, including a new identity and financial assistance, as if his crimes were nothing more than a youthful indiscretion.

AAP Govt rewarded Nirbhaya’s Juvenile rapist/murderer with Rs 10K & sewing machine while AAP leader Nina Nayak defended him in Court.

Today the most brutal Nirbhaya Rapist Md Afroz has easy access to women as a tailor, taking measurements for salwars & blouses thanx to AAP Govt pic.twitter.com/502X4sHhdB

— Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) August 19, 2024

This glaring failure exposes the system’s deep flaws. How can we justify treating a rapist as a juvenile merely because of his age? How can we continue to humanize those who commit such inhuman acts? The release of this criminal and the state’s decision to protect and rehabilitate him sent a clear message: rape, even of the most brutal kind, is forgivable under certain circumstances.

The Consequence of Compassion for the Unworthy

This misplaced compassion manifests in today’s relentless rape cases. The rape of a three-year-old girl and the assault of a 70-year-old woman are not isolated incidents but part of a terrifying pattern. Leniency shown towards rapists, especially those deemed “juveniles,” has only emboldened others. If the worst consequence for a rapist is a few years in a juvenile home, why would they fear the law? Why would they hesitate before committing such monstrous acts?

We must stop pretending that age should mitigate the severity of rape. A rapist, regardless of whether he is 17 or 70, is a predator. He forfeits his right to be considered human in the eyes of the law, and we must ensure that we treat him accordingly. The very notion that a criminal who commits such a violent, dehumanizing act deserves a second chance insults the countless victims who will never have their own second chance.

A Call for Real Justice RG Kar Hospital

The RG Kar Hospital rape case should serve as a stark reminder. We must demand a system that does not show forgiveness to those who commit rape, a system that does not hide behind excuses of age or rehabilitation. Rapists do not need rehabilitation; they need removal from society, permanently. We must fight for laws that protect the victims, not the criminals. India must push for a legal system that recognizes the fundamental truth: treating rapists as anything other than monsters endangers every woman and girl in this country.

We cannot allow the tragedy of Nirbhaya to repeat. India cannot stand by as more women become victims while we continue to treat rapists as “juveniles” or “rehabilitatable.” It’s time for the outrage to drive real change, for the anger to fuel action. Every woman, from the youngest girl to the eldest grandmother, deserves to live without fear of becoming the next headline.

India, how many more Nirbhayas will it take before we finally say, “Enough is enough”?