Dear Sir
Your opinion in the editorial has made me think about the
burden on India’s conscience following the hanging of Yakub Memon. It is
clearing unnerving. And not all a comfortable position to be in. But it has
also got me curious.
People of the likes of M. Tharoor have also stated that
capital punishment is inhuman and not in line with India’s constitutional
spirit. It is hardly a deterrent to prevent future catastrophes either. A lifetime
imprisonment is a much more humane way.
Well then let me ask you, what purpose is a life
imprisonment going to serve? If capital punishment is not a deterrent, do you
mean that an imprisonment of life would prompt a change of heart and awaken a
sudden collective conscience? That just by being conscientious and merciful we
would suddenly ignite a spark of patriotism and compassion in those scores of
minds and hearts who would still be plotting to bomb and kill as we speak. Do
you really think these acts are a work of a thinking mind and equally
conscientious hearts? I think you know the answer too well.
So let me put this fair and square. Terrorism is not a thing
of the humans. It is above all logic of
humanity and justice, however merciful your approach be. You need not think
hard on this. The way ISIS has been going about establishing their caliphate is
too ominous a sign. And equally foolhardy to ignore. They kill in thousands.
They kill in cold blood. They kill while laughing their guts out. They kill
while you plead and beg for mercy. They kill the non-believers. THEY KILL THEIR
OWN.
They kill for power.
Infact going by your logic, just as capital punishment is
not a deterrent, all acts of valour and courage and patriotism should inspire
us all. The slain policemen in Dinapur should make us all pledge our allegiance
to the country, irrespective of our religion or community. Capt Vikram Batra
should have inspired us all to lay down our lives for the country. Yet how many
of us sent our children to the forces ? Did you ?
It is like comparing apples to oranges.
Lets not live in a make believe world. A conscientious heart
is always the one. If you think about your country and fellow men over and
above anyone else, you will always be a patriot.
Again what purpose will life imprisonment serve? Will it not cost the exchequer huge amounts
of money that could be spent more
constructively? Will it not burden the already over burdened jails of the
country, already spilling over with inmates ? Why not give him a nice long
conscientious speech on patriotism and welfare and send him home ? At least his
family would have a reason to smile!
And who says capital punishment is supposed to serve as a deterrent?
No it is not. It is merely a punishment befitting your crime. Surely Terrorism
comes under the rarest of rare crime. It’s a challenge to destroy my country
and all that i hold dear. And i will not take it lying down.
We all remember Mother India. Where the mother shoots her
own son because he was wrong. A doer of evil. She shot him. Fair and square. A punishment befitting his
crime. That is what justice is.
I rest my case.
