GUWAHATI, Aug 29 - DN Chakravartty, former member of the National Council for Older Persons and a senior editor, expressed profound shock and sorrow over the grim story of 20,000 Indian girls and women being raped every year � and half of them being murdered � observing that such misfortune would continue to overtake Indian womenfolk till the time Indian lawmakers framed such practical laws that could ensure death penalty for the rapists and completion of trial within 10 months.
Chakravartty, who was addressing the freshmen�s social organised by the students� union of RK Handiqui Girls� College today, said that it was the severity of the punishment inflicted by the Ahom royalty for different crimes that kept the Assamese society from heinous crimes such as murder and rape for over 600 years.
Chakravartty also suggested that Indian women must not ape the West and allow themselves to be used as commodities. He added that Assamese girls were healthier in the 19th century and in the earlier decades of the 20th century than their counterparts of modern times.
�In their meaningless craze for beauty, modern Assamese girls are unaware of the basic principles of good health and proper diet,� he said.
Referring to the disgrace brought to the Assamese community by Indrani Mukerjea alias Pori Bora, who has raised commotion in the country by her ugly deeds, Chakravartty appealed to the Assamese society to lay stress not only on skill development and career building, but also on �character building and developing a sense of honour�. He called upon the Assamese society to launch a new revolution where hooligans would not be on the streets while men of character and patriotism would guide the destiny of the people.
