Last Day In India

Today we took a train from Jaipur back to New Delhi. Tomorrow, we fly to London, England, and after spending 18 hours there; we will fly back to Ottawa.

Today while reading some newspapers, I got some interesting information about women’s rights issues and some more research relating to the New Delhi gang rape incident. The six accused will be tried in the Saket District Court, in the same area where we stayed when we first arrived in India. Murder, gang rape, attempt to murder, and criminal conspiracy are only a few of the multiple charges facing the six accused. One of the six is a youth and is being tried by a Juvenile Board. There has been some debate since he is a youth whether his punishment should be as harsh as the adults, but we will find out soon, as the trial is soon to be underway.

Apart from some more news on the gang rape and other cases that are popping up, I read an interesting article on the education system. Apparently, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), is preparing to teach students and teachers to battle the oppression of women, starting at a very young age. Also, the board has decided to launch an optional topic for students in Classes 11 and 12 on Human Studies and Gender Rights. It seems to me that, indeed the New Delhi gang rape incident was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Although I think it will take years before women’s rights issues even reach rural areas, it is good to see that at least the nation’s capitol is addressing these issues.










The Baha'i Temple in Delhi