INDIA bloc’s drift towards BJP and how India perceives child abuse | South Central 84

In this week’s South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna first discuss the churning in the country’s political Opposition, with several allies of the Congress now warming up to the ruling BJP. They are joined by senior journalist and author Neerja Chowdhury and journalist Arvind Gunasekar. In the second part of the discussion, the hosts discuss the developments in child sexual abuse cases across different states. They are joined by Vidya Reddy, co-founder and Executive Director of the Tamil Nadu-based NGO Thulir, and her colleagues Sannuthi Suresh and Subhashini. Listen and follow on YouTubeListen and follow on AppleListen and follow on SpotifyDhanya first asks Neerja what the ground swell is in Delhi, and whether there is a realignment of political forces in the Opposition.Neerja says that this is happening. “The reasons are different for different parties. TMC has broken down, and Mamta Banerjee has very few MPs left with her. Supriya Sule said all options are open as far as the delimitation Bill is concerned. Amit Shah had said this earlier, but at that time, the Opposition was not willing. The DMK has 22 MPs abstaining from voting on delimitation, as we speculate. But the larger question is not about the delimitation Bill of women’s reservation. It is about the realignment of the Opposition,” she explains.Pooja points out how the BJP is dealing with each of these parties in the Opposition differently. “Mamta, for example, was offered nothing. In Maharashtra, NCP is considering a short-term allyship with the BJP. This is very different from what the DMK is looking at. For the DMK, they have a larger disagreement with the Congress,” she says.Dhanya says the DMK may abstain from voting for the delimitation Bill, but they may support the ‘One India, One election’ drive.Arvind says that for the DMK, the BJP has promised a 50% uniform increase in seats across the country. “It is evident that DMK wants to stay away from the Congress. But in delimitation, Stalin has even burnt the Bill. They are now saying that if a uniform 50% increase in seats is given, they will vote. This, they say, is not them going back on their objections, but a better bargain for all states,” he says.“The central agencies being unleashed against Opposition leaders and the non-releasing of developmental funds from the Union government are the two tools being used against those who are not drifting towards the BJP, I think,” says Neerja. She also adds that the MPs in the Opposition feel that power is on the other side, and that it may take several years for the Congress to come to power in the Union.She further adds that Congress must be rebuilt from the ground up and that alliances always come at a cost. “They must decide if the priority is to revive the Congress or to defeat the BJP,” she says.The panel further discusses the various political equations, which parties are playing what strategies in the Union and states, and more.In the second part of the discussion, the hosts discuss the developments in child sexual abuse cases across different states. They are joined by Vidya Reddy, co-founder and Executive Director of the NGO Thulir, and her colleagues Sannuthi Suresh and Subhashini. The panel first discusses the idea of establishing a sex offender registry. “The idea that it was announced as only necessary in a few districts in Tamil Nadu is problematic. Very few children who go through abuse, precisely 12%, reveal it to others. Of that, less than 1% goes to the police. The problem with a registry is that they are also looking at those on an FIR, not the ones convicted. The resources would be better deployed if invested in better investigation rather than on keeping track of offenders,” says Vidya.She also points out that registries do not reflect those cases where complaints are not made, and that keeping track of such accused is not possible. She says that the certainty of the justice system is what is needed.Dhanya asks if a registry of convicted people and not accused is advisable.Sannuthi says that while a registry creates a narrative that we are not those people, the fact is that everyone has the potential to become violent, and such a listing may stop people from looking inward. “The POCSO law also does not acknowledge that people below 18 are having consensual sex. So when the justice system itself is clogged with cases where consenting young adults are penalised, what is the point of creating a registry that lists the partners of these young women as offenders?” Vidya asks.Subhashini also points out that already, child sexual abuse cases are not reported enough. Considering that most sexual offenders are those from the family or known to the children, people would report even less, fearing that it will put members of their families on the sex offenders registry.The panel further discusses the legal rigamarole, what happens to complaints, and how there can be some middle ground.Tune in to this discussion here. Audio timecodes:00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:03 - Headlines 00:10:41 - Realignment of the Opposition Parties in India00:42:53 - POCSO cases in India1:16:05 - Recommendations References:POCSO cases in Karnataka rise by nearly 86% in seven years, Home MinisterGround report: The only survivor of the Telangana killings watched her family die Recommendations:Dhanya RajendranIn 12 Years, India’s Energy Dependency Has Sharply ZoomedWhy the Modi Government's Insistence on Importing Expensive Natural Gas Makes No SenseWhy the Modi Government’s Track Record on Solar Energy Needs a Closer LookPooja PrasannaStaying Alive: Dispatches from the MarginsNeerja ChowdhuryLadakh’s Unfinished Struggle: Sonam Wangchuk and the Fight for JusticeArvind GunasekarUnfamiliarSannuthi SureshDoubtThe HuntSubhashiniCourt - State Vs. A Nobody Check out the list of headlines discussed in South CentralCheck out the recommendations and references from this episode.Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-centralSend your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here. To check out our other shows, Click here To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click hereYou can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central. Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here. To check out our other shows, Click here To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click hereProducer - Akshay Lal, Camera - Ajay R,  Editor - Jaseem Ali, Social Media - Riya T T,  Sukanya Shaji and Anakha C J