Mohamed Ameen Dabhelia – 2018/04/18

More than 40,000 rapes are reported in India every year and with every rape case, there are calls for tougher laws, but that does not seem to have worked.

As the world reports on the horrific case of eight-year-old Asifa’s kidnapping, rape and murder; another case emerged from the Bharatiya Janat Party’s stronghold – Uttar Pradesh, where a party member found himself accused of raping a 16-year-old girl.

The Unnao rape survivor recorded her statement under Section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CRPC) before the special CBI court on Monday.

Journalist Asma Rafat told Radio Islam that many sub-texts exists within the main text of rape in India.

“There is no justice done after that brutal rape case in 2012 in India, and what I feel is the powerful men are being shielded by other powerful men in India.”

Rafat says crimes are being committed with impunity.

“Armed guards on one side and the power of religion on the other.”

Rafat adds that the mobilization of protests against the rape accused did not happen overnight.

“This has been fuming for weeks, so people actually reading and watching the brutality of these crimes over TV, they come out on the streets in each of the cities, and nobody has mobilized this crowd, they have come out on the streets by themselves.”

Rafat says even though people are mobilizing, there is no one to address at the protests.

Listen to the full interview with Asma Rafat below: