By Prof. Vivek Singh
On an average, 1109 cases of atrocities against women, 80 murders, 289 kidnappings and 88 rape cases are reported every day in the country. In a country whose ideals are Ram and Krishna, known for inclusive culture, there is so much crime and slander. In the country where people beleive in Yatra Narayastu Pujyante Ramante Tatra Devtah, How can crime against women increase so much? What are the reasons behind this?
The country where there was a brother like Rama who renounced the throne of Ayodhya to practice Putra Dharma. A brother like Bharata, for whom the kingdom of Ayodhya was like a particle of dust. Friend like Lord Krishna who had given Sudama his kingdom. There was a guru like Dronacharya who loved his disciple Arjuna more than his son. Hanuman, who despite being extremely powerful and intelligent, always devoted himself to the service of his lord, Lord Rama. A wife like Sita who did not even see Lanka made of gold. There was a son like Shravan who continued to serve his parents till the last moment of life. A disciple like Eklavya, who donated his thumb in Guru Diksha without any grief.
According to the NCRB report, total 4831515 cases were reported of crimes in 2016. In the year 2017 crime cases increased and the total number of crimes in the country increased to 5007044. It increased once again in the year 2018 and the total number of reported crimes in the country reached 5074634.
The entire country recorded 18233 cases of rape year 2004, 21397 in the year 2009, 24923 in the year 2012, 32559 in the year 2017, 33356 in the year 2018 and 32033 in the year 2019.
In the year 2017, 28653 murder cases were registered which increased to 29017 in 2018. In the year 2019, 28918 murder cases were registered.
In 2016, there were 88008 kidnapping cases which increased to 95893 in 2017. In the year 2018, there was further increase in kidnapping cases in the country and 105734 kidnapping cases were registered.
According to NCRB data, there has also been a significant increase in crime against women. 338954 cases of crime against women in the year 2016, 359849 cases in the year 2017, 378277 cases in the year 2018 and crime against women in the year 2019 crossed 405000.
2278 human trafficking cases were registered in the year 2018 and 2260 in the year 2019. The number of crimes against children in the year 2017 was 129032 which increased to 141764 by the end of 2018.
There was a feeling of celibacy somewhere in the Indian education system and culture. Along with good deeds, sin-virtue was included. There was was tradition of respecting elders. For these reasons, the number of crimes was extremely low.
Today no one is concerned about sin or virtue. There is no time to read religious texts like Ramayana and Gita and assimilate their teachings. If the people do not have time to sit with elders then the crime will increase. Has a student studying in Gurukul system been found to be involved in criminal acts? Has a person who knows Sanskrit got involved in crimes? Educated persons are more involved in crimes than illiterate persons.
There should be education for character building. Yoga, Spirituality, Gita, Ramayana should be made part of the education system. Indian culture should be made the basis of education system. One should have education for transformation of a person into a personality, only then crime will be controlled. The reason for the increase in the number of crimes is social and cultural decline.�
(The author is columnist, professor of Commerce, Political and Economic Analyst.�He can be reached at viveksinghmumbai@gmail.com)
