I cannot make myself watch news or read newspapers. I just can't. I have no idea when I can bring myself to doing it. While surfing the net on Friday night I had read about the deteriorating condition of the Delhi girl. And had feared the worst. My fears were confirmed the following morning. I don't have words to describe my feelings - anger, frustration, grief......

As if this was not enough, her case seems to have opened up a proverbial Pandora's box. Suddenly the Media doesn't seem to find any news, except for rapes or gang rapes, worthy of reporting. As it is, by their rule, any good news is not a news at all. They seem to have crossed all limits now. Anyone who has never been to India can be easily forgiven for thinking that this is a country of rapists. Why cannot the Media find the word 'restraint' in their dictionary, if they have any at all?

The government would do well not to proceed at their normal snail's pace in dealing with this. We don't need any half-baked measures. They need to come to a swift decision as to whether we need new laws or just strengthening of the existing ones. But laws alone won't help. The cops need to be sensitized about the safety of women. The Common Man on the street needs to know that there is strength in numbers. So people must come to the aid of any woman who is being harassed on the street. And we need to take the matter of training women in self-defense seriously.

Can we do it all? Or at least some of it? I don't know. But I fervently hope that we do. Because that's the only way I can make the sick feeling that I am having in the pit of my stomach to go away.