Treatment to Imrana is a result of the socio-economic backwardness of the area:

Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2005 at - Post Comment

It is an irony that if you hear any news of the lovers hanged by the order of the conscience of society, couple stopped from marrying as they belong to the same gotra etc. then it comes from the belt of Mujjaffarnagar, Saharanpur,Meerut,Bagpat and Bulandshahar which are the richest and the most fertile districts in UP and very close to the cosmopolitan Delhi. Of course the rich belt of neighbouring Haryana is no better. The story  of poor Imrana who was raped by her father-in-law in  a small village of Mujjaffarnagar has again taken the country by storm.

Politics is divided. It seems that the society soon will be getting divided on the issue. But do we think ever why the countryside so close to national capital often comes up with such bizarre incidents. One may say that such incidents do take place in different parts of the country but the geographical closeness of these areas with the national capital makes such news known to everybody.

 This may be a good explanation as the social development and reforms have not kept pace in the country along with the economic reforms. Caste is fast becoming stronger than ever. The religious fanaticism is getting firmer. Still one core reason is that the planners and the government has failed to take care of the peripheral areas. The moment you cross the boundary of the national capital and reach Bagpat, just 60 kms away, you find the population lost in the issues of Ganna(sugarcane), parchi(payment slip from the mill), panni(liquor), Jhota(oxen) and Lali(girl).As you move towards Mujjaffarnagar and Saharanpur the situations becomes grimmer. The youths are unemployed. Poverty still is a phenomenon. Caste domination prevents equality of any kind. The traditional economy is in shambles. The business community is migrating to cities like Delhi. Education is anything but modern.  Good medical facilities are just not available.  Politicians love to keep the populace in the feudal environment as this prevents the public from knowing more and thus questioning more which in turn may be dangerous for the political bosses. The old saying of “Deepak Tale Andhera is perfectly true”. There will be more news like Imrana if the socioeconomic conditions of the area are not improved.Quick reforms in economic and social sector including health and education is must to prevent such storie. Will anybody, who matters, listen?

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