Letter to the Editor
Sir,
This is in reference to your editorial ‘Issues beyond Verdict’ and main headline coverage on the same topic in Garhwal Post, dated 31 May 2025. The recent conviction in the Ankita Bhandari murder case is a small but overdue step toward justice. While the guilty verdict is welcome, the sentence does not match the gravity of the crime. A harsher, exemplary punishment is essential- not just for justice, but to deter others with power, privilege and entitlement from daring to repeat such acts.
This comes at a moment of national reflection. While India responds with force through ‘Operation Sindoor’ upholding the dignity of our daughter’s vermillion, another courageous daughter fades away through sheer systemic vulnerability. The dual image—of a daughter brutally silenced through sheer power rot and of wives mourning husbands killed by terrorism, highlights a deeper truth: India’s women are often the first to bear the costs of violence, injustice and indifference.
On the other hand, what makes this moment even more symbolic is its timing. On the day of the verdict, 17 women cadets passed out from the National Defence Academy (NDA) for the first time in our history. It’s a proud moment- a beacon of hope for a country where gender equality often feels like a distant goal. These women are not just symbols of empowerment; they are proof that India’s daughters are ready to serve, lead, and protect. But how hollow would such milestones ring if the same society cannot guarantee their right to live without fear?
Ankita was not a soldier, yet she fought a battle—against coercion, against power, and against the culture of silence. In many ways, her resistance mirrors the spirit of the women who now grieve for their martyred husbands but stand tall, refusing to let terror break them. These women are India’s real frontlines.
We as a society feel ashamed of such chinks in our societal armour and we all should voice and decry such ghastly, inhuman acts more vociferously. It’s a small victory in a larger battle for India’s daughters. We shall absolve our conscience only if we are able to give true justice to her sacrifice.
Yours etc.,
Col Bhaskar Bharti (Retd)
