There are two aspects to this reward announcement by the chief minister. It could mean that if a woman goes public about sexual abuse or violence against her, there is now a possibility of financial incentive and this could be a government policy precedent, even before the crime is proved in a court of law or an investigation is completed. It can also mean institutionalising the compensation syndrome for a governance lapse, be it of the most serious kind, with just cash. So money can translate into silence of the victim; it can translate into assurance for the angry public that the government cares; it can replicate justice, as it is not to be ensured timely.

Instead of guaranteeing timely legal help and sensitive handling by the three important government departments — education, health and police — the money offer by the government seems to make up for everything, even as the incident and its aftermath are played out sordidly in public realm. It’s another matter that the crime is yet to be established, while a magisterial inquiry has been ordered, the parents agitate; the town boils in rage.

Yet another gang-rape victim, Bilkis Bano’s ordeal in another context is worth remembering now. It has taken six years and the unflinching support of her family, the NGOs, the topmost lawyers in the country, the Supreme Court and diligent CBI investigation for justice to be delivered to this victim of gang-rape. But, there was definitely no compensation by this very state government. No one quite knows now what happened in another rape case, that of Bijal Joshi, who later committed suicide in Ahmedabad.

So will we now have a commission to study what and under what circumstances how much money has to be awarded for a gang-rape victim? Will there be a distinction between victimhood by rape and by gang-rape? And when will the reward money be given: when the victim complains or when it is proved that she had been gang-raped?

In the Patan gang rape case it is only incidental that it happened in the constituency of Anandi Patel, a confidante of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who holds the revenue portfolio. There has been no public statement of condemnation from the state association of teachers. It is also incidental that the girl hails from a poor dalit family. It is equally incidental that the six teachers from the teachers training college are post-graduates.

The town of Patan now stands with the family of the girl. Money matters but not always. In such instances it is not the cash, but timely justice and stringent punishment that are needed.

ayesha.khan@expressindia.com