Social Fabric- Urban and Rural

Is social fabric in urban areas on a stronger footing? From the strong and vehement protests in the case of Anti- corruption movements of India Against Corruption and now the Delhi medical student’s rape case, it is now quite apparent that the social fabric of the Urban India is on quite a strong footing when compared to the same in rural India. I am aware that the difference between urban and rural India is quite thin and really abstract! Having said that the differences are quite strong also- based on a no of factors including digital divide, infrastructure, education standards, occupational variations etc. From what I have seen from in the electronic media, print media and social networks, the reactions from the urbane community on issues such as corruption as well as atrocities on women in urban areas are quite strong, forceful, tough postures combined with vehement uproar! The government seems to be not sympathetic towards these protests! It is easy for me to criticize the government! When I heard the news of the incident Delhi, I thought it was a ghastly incident. But I did nothing after that, except this write-up! This may be because I have become insensitive to these things. There may be reason for that also. During my college days, in my native place, when I used to meet some of my friends at the crossroads, on the main road, a woman in literally torn cloths with uncombed hair used to approach us, say hello and ask for money. We used to avoid her. Some of my friends told me that she is a loose women, used by somebody in the village and thereafter left her on own . I noticed such women even in other villages during my travels to villages. Having worked in prevention of HIV/AIDS project for some time, travelled to important cities/ semi-urban areas in India, such no of women are beyond normal understanding. The social fabrics in cities in rural and urban areas for such women more or less was definitely mute or at best isolated and unnoticed. One stark difference and differentiating factor could be the presence of strong student unions in cities like Delhi. The same is absent in many states because the elections students are banned for various reasons. I am not advocating to bring back elections to the student unions. Hoping that the rural social fabric in rural areas rises above for situations beyond mundane price rise, politically motivated campaigns, “Padyathras” etc. May be with the presence of more mobiles, internet, electronic social networks it will happen! May be it is another utopian concept!