The term ‘India’s Daughter’ is becoming synonymous with the campaign for the rights of women in India.
the 23 year old medical student by 6 men on a moving bus. Her death sparked unprecedented protests and riots throughout India and led to the first glimmers of a change of mindset. Interwoven into the story line are the lives, values and mindsets of the rapists whom the film makers have had exclusive and unprecedented access to interview before they hang. The film examines the society and values which spawn such violent acts, and makes an optimistic and impassioned plea for change. The controversial film, shown by the BBC in the UK in March, has been banned in India on the grounds of controversial comments made by one of the defendants from prison, which were included in the film. He said the victim was responsible for her rape and murder – that she should not have been out in the evening and should not have fought back against being raped. On December 16, 2012, 23- year old student Jyoti Singh Pandey was travelling on a privately-owned bus with a male companion in South Delhi, when she was gangraped by six others on the bus and her companion was badly beaten.
They were then thrown off the bus. The injuries sustained by Jyoti in this horrific assault were such that, despite emergency hospital treatment – first in India, then in Singapore – she died, thirteen days after the attack. There was much media reporting of this dreadful event, in India and worldwide, and it led to public demonstrations in many cities throughout India, with thousands protesting against state and local governments for not providing safety and security for women. In Delhi, protesters clashed with security forces.
The scale of public outrage led to a judicial committee being set up to review the situation with regard to the investigation and prosecution of rapists. After the committee highlighted failures by the government and police, new laws were passed in India to expedite the process. In the case concerned, a juvenile received three years detention, one adult died in police custody and the remaining four were sentenced to death.The term ‘India’s Daughter’ is becoming synonymous with the campaign for the rights of women in India to feel safe from such harm and to be afforded respect andprotection.
Speaking in an interview, the film’s director, Leslee Udwin, said ”Courageous and impassioned ordinary men and women of India braved the December freeze to protest in unprecedented numbers, withstanding an onslaught of teargas shells, lathi charges and water canons, to make their cry of ‘enough is enough’ heard. In this regard, India led the world by example. In my lifetime, I can’t recall any other country standing up with such commitment and determination for women’s