Why is gang rape rampant in India? | Inside Story

More than 40,000 rapes are reported in India every year. With every rape case, calls for tougher laws raise, but that didn't seem to have worked.

Every so often one will get widespread media attention and prompt angry protests. But this latest one led to the biggest demonstrations in years, with levels of anger and revulsion not seen for a long time.

The girl was just eight - she was kidnapped while grazing the family's cattle, sedated heavily and kept hidden in a Hindu temple. She was raped multiple times, and eventually murdered.

The suspects include police officers and a government official. And the ruling BJP party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been accused of trying to protect the men involved.

Is the Prime Minister stoking the flames of social and religious tensions? Presenter: Peter Dobbie Guests: Pandit Ajay Gautam Founder of hum hindu, an organization looking to protect Hindus from policies towards minority appeasement. Rana Ayyub, journalist covering indian politics and social justice Nikita Sud, Associate Professor of Development Studies at Oxford University.