The American newspaper 'The Washington Post' applauded the swift ordinance introduced by the Indian central government shortly after calls for stringent laws against sexual harassment, observing that the Indian political system can respond quickly to demands for change.
In its editorial, the newspaper discussed India’s reputation as a nation where government action is typically slow. However, it acknowledged that democracy in India is often seen as less effective than any authoritarian regime like those in China or Russia.
Despite this, after the tragic incident of the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a moving bus in Delhi, the President of India approved the ordinance to enforce anti-harassment laws in less than two months, a move both critical and historic.
Challenging the responsiveness of the American political system, the newspaper questioned if similar decisive action could be taken against crimes in U.S. schools involving innocent children. It mentioned the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting tragedy, which occurred just two days before the Delhi incident, querying whether public outrage can be effectively addressed by the American political framework.
