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"In a way, this is India's Arab Spring. But it needs to sustain itself. And to lead to real reform and change. This Indian spring will only work out better than the Arab Spring if its national leaders recognize the need for radical and thorough change in their country," Zakaria said.
Mumbai-born Zakaria, 48, received 'Padma Bhushan' from the Indian Government in 2010.
He is editor-at-large of Time and host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS.
On his latest edition of his popular Sunday talk show and also appearing on the CNN Monday, Zakaria said there is a culture of impunity in India.
"After 600 rape cases reported in Delhi this year, only one has led to a conviction. That's why the current set of sustained protests are something of a silver lining. People are genuinely upset. The rise of India's middle class has activated a powerful civil society. One that is now demanding better government. It did so a year ago regarding corruption," he said.
Zakaria said the national attention over her death is shedding light on how unsafe Indian women actually are.
According to the national crime records bureau, there were more than 24,000 registered rapes in 2011. That's one rape every 22 minutes in India. And those are just the ones we know about, he said.
"By some accounts, only a tenth of all such crimes in India actually get reported. Why such a shockingly high rate of violent crime? Indians are debating the reasons. The reality is this: This is one more example of a government that
simply does not deliver. India has a broken public safety system, little to no public surveillance and CCTV systems, and a pathetic and corrupt police force," he alleged.
According to the UN's office on drugs and crime, South Asia has one of the lowest ratios of police officers to civilians in the world. It also has among the fewest prosecutors as a percentage of the population, he said.
"There could be other factors.India has a demographic crisis. According to its 2011 census, there are only 9 women for every 10 men in urban India, that's one of the worst sex ratios, and that doesn't happen naturally. It happens because tens of thousands of Indians opt for abortions if they know they're having a daughter," Zakaria said.
Indian judiciary has been very poor in the judgement as it takes so long for the jurisdiction. It needs to be improved.
The reason most people in India tolerated the corruption, and the non governance is a culture of "live and Let Live" As long as these issues did not affect them directly they looked the other way. Decades of foreign dominance also created a subservient nature and people are slowly realizing their power. Hope this "Indian Spring" leads to real changes.
Since Independence the condition of women in rural areas are very pathetic. Very few women are at par with men in certain fields. Though the Congress Party has ruled India in the centre and also some states for so many years, inspite of Indira Gandhi a woman prime minister from their party elected nothing much is done. Though even now there are some women like Renuka Choudhary & Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra are in the party, the women's reservation is pending for so many years which indicates they have NO WILL to empower the women. The strict laws also not implemented
Few days back Mohan Baghat RSS chief has told , in Rural India( Bharath), women are well treated , no rape , it is only in Arban India , things are bad. I suggest you contact Mr.Bhagat for more details and be happy .
Since Independence the condition of women in rural areas are very pathetic. Very few women are at par with men in certain fields. Though the Congress Party has ruled India in the centre and also some states for so many years, inspite of Indira Gandhi a woman prime minister from their party elected nothing much is done. Though even now there are some women like Renuka Choudhary & Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra are in the party, the women's reservation is pending for so many years which indicates they have NO WILL to empower the women. The strict laws also not implemented
Yes, I agree to Fareed Zakaria. The condition of the common people especially the women has got worse in this corrupt government. Now, the Indian middle class has to get up and prepare them for a considerable positive change in the social architecture.
It may be a spring for some, but it is clearly a dark winter for the Indian legal system. The local Bar Association not only failed to understand the basic ethics of their profession but, in addition, heckled the two lawyers who courageously showed that they knew a bit about professionalism and ethics. Steps should be taken to ensure that the responsible officers and members of the local Bar Association are disciplined for their attempts to aid and abet injustice and their abuse of basic human rights. All accused must be vigorously defended and justice must not be compromised by haste, prejudice and shortcuts. Then justice may be done.
Fareed Zakaria got it really right. The people of this great country are so peaceful, that they generally keep quiet on the all unscrupulous govt failure whether it is govt run scams or democratically elcted govt / authorities corruption. The recent protest will become an urab upraise if the govt fail to bring drastic changes in governance. The people in India is strongly believe that there is no an administration in the country. The PM open his mouth only to utter words like "I have asked for a report" whenever a scam/corruption unearth. Or else he opens his mouth only to declare "we are compelled to hike the fuel prices to reign in the subsidy on petroleum products". He never utter a word against curbing the lakhs of crores of corruptions, scams being unearthed during his tenure. There is no strict action on the black money being stalked in the foreign countries. Had this black money come back to india, there was no need for cutting subsidy, which directly effect the middle class and
