12.06.2019

A few thoughts for today... ( by Sanghamitra Nath)


 "Rightly or wrongly does not matter. People want a guilty person. "

- quote from the book "Alias Grace" written by Man Booker Prize winner ( for the same book) Margaret Atwood.

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How true is this quote and  how relevant it is to our times. In the light of today's encounter killing in Hyderabad, it appears to be true, at least. Although justice seems to be served before the guilty is pronounced guilty, it is a matter of grave concern that justice has been served in this manner. Three reasons come to my mind :

1. This 'quick' killing  empowered the murderers. They died in a second. Whereas the woman victim suffered for hours and killed in a brutal manner.

2. The murderers were captured but it is not yet proven if all of them are actual murderers or innocent people caught by the police under public pressure. For that, they needed to go on trial. Also, whether it was a staged killing or real, we will not get to  know.

3. This kind of justice is similar to the justice of stone ages where not only murderers or perpetrators of crime are devoid of any reason or rationality but also the authorities/ tribe leaders/ law makers who give in to public pressure and kill suspects much before justice is served. It is very similar to "witch hunting or witch burning" in the past.