Short on expectation

Despite the delay of over a year, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report revealing the crime data of 2017 released on Monday is conspicuous by the absence of statistics of the keenly anticipated new sub-categories of murder. Following a spurt of murders by mobs and influential people and for reasons of religion or those ordered by khaps that shook the nation in 2015-16, the pro forma was revised to include such killings. The cloak of secrecy afforded by the failure of the government to publish the data compiled on these notorious scores is a huge letdown. It does little towards ensuring justice to the hapless victims of these communal and reprehensible crimes committed in broad daylight. Rather, the patronising suppression of data will only encourage the perpetrators. Already, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has dodged the issue with his derisive comment: lynching is a ‘western construct’ and should not be used to ‘defame’ India. 

Acknowledgement of a criminal activity holds the key to its redress. Making public the unflattering figures is the stepping stone to an informed debate by the citizens and government; statistics are the base for reformist policies and laws to curb violence. The Modi government’s propensity to hide unfavourable data is a crime that will not only cost it politically, but also prevent the nation from moving forward.

However, thankfully, the NCRB has not shied away from coming out with figures for the other new crime category: circulation of fake news and rumours. Topping the list are MP (138 incidents), UP (32) and Kerala (18). Incidentally, J&K, where communication channels have been severely curtailed since the abrogation of Article 370, reported four cases. Meanwhile, criminal activity has escalated in the country, calling for better policing and deliverance of justice. Shamefully, both homes and roads remained unsafe for women as brutalities heaped on them in the form of cruelty by husband, assaults, kidnappings and rape show no sign of abating. Add to it cyber space where cyber crime mainly related to fraud and sexual exploitation is trending upward. It’s time to act.