In Modi’s India, scandal still embarrasses but rape has become ordinary
Al Jazeera
February 25, 2026
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In Modi’s India, a stark contrast exists between the government's sensitivity to international scandals involving influential figures like Bill Gates and its apparent indifference to the widespread sexual violence against women within the country. While the Indian government has shown concern over global embarrassments tied to figures such as Epstein and Gates, it remains largely untroubled by the routine occurrence of gang rapes across India. This duality highlights a disturbing disconnect between public moral outrage on the world stage and the everyday brutality faced by women domestically.
Recent reports reveal that sexual violence against women in India has become alarmingly normalized, with gang rapes occurring at an alarming rate—often reported with the same detachment as weather events. The cases are both gruesome and numbing in their repetition, involving horrific acts of violence such as intestinal mutilation, acid attacks, and strangulation. Between the time this piece was commissioned and published, multiple instances of gang rape were reported across various cities, including Meerut, Faridabad, Odisha, and Delhi’s suburbs.
The Modi administration's response to these atrocities has been lackluster at best. Despite claims of prioritizing law and order, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have shown little concern over India's reputation as the "gang rape capital of the world." This apathy is exemplified by the case of Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a convicted rap
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Originally published on Al Jazeera on 2/25/2026