We The People

We look at the year that was: The people, the stories and the issues that made headlines in 2019.

It has been a dramatic week with the youth of the country rising up against the new citizenship law passed by the government and against police brutality against students in an act of solidarity that has shaken the country's politics. After a violent police crackdown on protests in and around Jamia Millia University in Delhi on December 15, college after college have taken to the streets or held demonstrations condemning the force that was used against the protesting youth. This last week we have seen young India rage and engage leading to larger protests where ordinary citizens, students, writers, activists, artists, opposition parties and film stars have showed their anger against a law that is being viewed as communal and has been challenged in the Supreme court.

It has been a dramatic week with the youth of the country rising up against the new citizenship law passed by the government and against police brutality against students in an act of solidarity that has shaken the country's politics. After a violent police crackdown on protests in and around Jamia Millia University in Delhi on December 15, college after college have taken to the streets or held demonstrations condemning the force that was used against the protesting youth. This last week we have seen young India rage and engage leading to larger protests where ordinary citizens, students, writers, activists, artists, opposition parties and film stars have showed their anger against a law that is being viewed as communal and has been challenged in the Supreme court.

This week, the government passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill which has now become a law. But it has been a move that has sparked anger, protests and despair in various parts of the country. The law now makes it easier for non-Muslims from 3 Muslim majority countries - Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire Indian citizenship. Opposition parties and many civil rights activists had opposed the bill on the ground that it discriminates against Muslims and this is unconstitutional under Article 14 - a cornerstone of our Constitution that states Equality before law.

This week, the government passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill which has now become a law. But it has been a move that has sparked anger, protests and despair in various parts of the country. The law now makes it easier for non-Muslims from 3 Muslim majority countries - Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire Indian citizenship. Opposition parties and many civil rights activists had opposed the bill on the ground that it discriminates against Muslims and this is unconstitutional under Article 14 - a cornerstone of our Constitution that states Equality before law.

The despairing question: when will India's women be safe? When will there be justice for India's daughters? It's been seven years since the Nirbhaya case in Delhi that had led to an outpouring of anger and changes in the law. But the sad truth is while women have become bolder in reporting rape, the number of attacks on women are not going down. We've had the horrific Telangana rape and murder case where the four rapists were actually gunned down by the police in an alleged encounter. That has been received by a mixed response across the country. Many have welcomed it but many others have condemned and questioned it. And then the tragic case in Unnao where a woman who was fighting for justice within the system was set on fire by her rapists - one of whom who had just gotten out of jail. She finally died in a Delhi hospital after fighting for her life for 40 hours.

The despairing question: when will India's women be safe? When will there be justice for India's daughters? It's been seven years since the Nirbhaya case in Delhi that had led to an outpouring of anger and changes in the law. But the sad truth is while women have become bolder in reporting rape, the number of attacks on women are not going down. We've had the horrific Telangana rape and murder case where the four rapists were actually gunned down by the police in an alleged encounter. That has been received by a mixed response across the country. Many have welcomed it but many others have condemned and questioned it. And then the tragic case in Unnao where a woman who was fighting for justice within the system was set on fire by her rapists - one of whom who had just gotten out of jail. She finally died in a Delhi hospital after fighting for her life for 40 hours.

Why has nothing seemed to have changed since the horrific Nirbhaya gang-rape in 2012? Today, another barbaric case from Telangana has emerged. The entire case has left the country shocked and seething, but also feeling frustrated and helpless. On the day a 26-year-old veterinarian was raped and murdered, four more rape cases in different states were reported.

Why has nothing seemed to have changed since the horrific Nirbhaya gang-rape in 2012? Today, another barbaric case from Telangana has emerged. The entire case has left the country shocked and seething, but also feeling frustrated and helpless. On the day a 26-year-old veterinarian was raped and murdered, four more rape cases in different states were reported.

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday deferred the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, which seeks to ban commercial surrogacy in India. The proposed legislation was moved by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in the Upper House on Tuesday. It was passed in the Lok Sabha in the Monsoon session of parliament. The government says the bill is aimed at checking unethical practices, exploitation of surrogate mothers, abandonment of children born out of surrogacy and rackets around intermediaries importing human embryos. We ask tonight: Is this protecting rights or denying choice?