Lifestyle
Indian Courts Under Fire: Are Rulings Undermining Women’s Safety?
A fresh Allahabad High Court verdict’s lit a fuse—critics say it’s torching trust in India’s judiciary and women’s shot at justice. The ruling’s sparked a storm, with activists and big names slamming it as a gut punch to survivors and a green light for creeps. Is the gavel failing women? Here’s the breakdown.
Allahabad HC’s Latest Flashpoint
This week, the court ruled grabbing an 11-year-old’s breasts and snapping her pyjama string isn’t “attempt to rape”—just assault with intent to disrobe. Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra called it prep, not intent, flipping a Kasganj trial court’s rape charge to a lighter POCSO hit. X’s erupting: “What’s next, a pat on the back?” (@JusticeNowIN). Critics say it’s a slap to the kid and every survivor watching.
Fury Unleashed
The backlash is deafening—public figures aren’t holding back.
- Union Minister Annapurna Devi: “Wrong. Dangerous. Supreme Court needs to step in—this has no place in a civilized society.”
- MP Swati Maliwal: “Deeply shameful. What message does this send? That a girl can be mauled and it’s not rape?”
- Lawyer Indira Jaising: She’s pushing for suo motu Supreme Court action—judges have been reined in for less, she says on X.
Activists are raging too: “This trivializes trauma and emboldens predators,” one told reporters. X echoes: “Patriarchy’s still got the bench” (@FeministIN).
Safety on the Line
Women’s groups say this isn’t just one bad call—it’s a pattern eroding faith.
- Chilling Effect: Survivors might clam up—why report if courts shrug? Last year, 31,000 rapes were logged; real numbers dwarf that, and this could widen the gap.
- Legal Loophole: Downgrading intent guts POCSO’s bite—meant to shield kids, not nitpick their hell. “An 11-year-old shouldn’t need to spell out rape,” fumed an NHRC member.
- X Pulse: “Judges need a reality check—streets aren’t safe if courts aren’t” (@SafeIndiaNow).
Reform Clamor Grows
The uproar’s fueling a push for a judicial reset.
- Training Gap: Advocates want judges drilled on gender justice—empathy, not legalese, for cases like this.
- Lawyer’s Plea: A Supreme Court senior’s letter to the CJI demands Mishra’s yanked from criminal cases—yesterday.
- Policy Fix: Stricter POCSO reads and faster trials top the list—India’s rape case backlog’s a festering 1.7 lakh.
Where’s This Headed?
This ruling’s a spark—could ignite real change or just burn out. The Supreme Court’s being begged to swoop in, and Uttar Pradesh might appeal fast. For now, it’s a grim wake-up: laws alone don’t cut it if the bench doesn’t back survivors. India’s women need more than outrage—they need a system that fights with them, not against. Watch this space.