The Death penalty has always been a topic of debate around the world. Is it the right way to punish a human being, who we think does not even have the minimum eligibility to coexist with us in the society on this planet? Scores have asked this question and I might have posed this question to a lot of my friends too.
Do you remember the day when India stood in shame, helplessly releasing a bunch of hard core militants over a hijacked plane in Kandahar? I like many of you asked the question, why did we not kill the terrorists immediately after nabbing them? Why do we have to let them live, to free them later? Why do we have to feed them, guard them. Why do we have to spend the tax payer’s money on these cruel bas*****, who intended to kill my people and take over my country? I was so cross and angry that I advocated death penalty and more stringent laws whenever we had a debate. I would easily win as most of my friends shared my views. But now, I question my thoughts.
Who defined, an offense and its equivalent punishment? If it is the law, how come for an offense like teasing a girl, you could get lucky in the U.S, you could rarely get punished in India and in other countries, you could be pelted with stones? If I were to write the law, I would take things; I saw and felt into consideration. It doesn’t mean it is right. I think a rape crime requires a severe penalty. I mean the victim’s life has been tarnished for life and so has the family the victim belonged to. The culprit not only abused her at that fateful minute, but also has discolored her entire life. I would advocate the severest of punishments for that heinous crime. But our law recommends a nominal fine and a meager 3 years imprisonment, with parole opportunity. Is this right? Why isn’t my thought a law? Is it because I do not have a loud enough voice?
Saudi Arabia and a few other countries are amongst those nations who have the stringiest of laws, to curb corruption and other evils of the society. Their law as simple as punish the wrongdoer so cruelly, that others never even think of doing the same again. Cutting off hands for robbery, flogging for public usage of obscenities, beheading for attempting to catch a glimpse of a girl in her traditional cover-all-but-eyes dress are but a few examples of their crude way of dealing with offenders. Do you support all these?
I empathize with your feelings when you loudly question why the man who killed hundreds of people should be allowed to live. I understand your angst; I understand your sorrow and fear. But if life isn’t in our hands, how can you entrust death into the hands of mere mortals? Please do not get me wrong, I do firmly believe in punishment, in fact rigorous punishment, where the man repents each and every minute of his life for the crime he had committed. But killing this man is not the solace, the victim’s families. It is just not right, because we are not sure if it is right. The man might have been wrongly motivated, maybe pressurized, maybe he is plain cruel. We just don’t know and we can’t do something we can’t take back, is my argument.
Please friends, voice your feelings. It would really be great to know your thoughts.
