Death Penalty

I watched a good programme on TV last Sunday. Rajdeep Sardesai had Kamini Jaiswal (advocate), Seshadri Chari (BJP), Ashwini Kumar (Congress) arguing over Mohammad Afzals's death penalty. As the nation waits for the President to announce his decision, I couldn't help but think what my stand is.

I want Mohammad Afzal to be hanged. I do not believe in euthanasia. Why are the two connected? Becuase both of them boil down to just one question (at least to me): Does a human have the right to take another human's life?

I am totally against euthanasia and I don't want to get into justifying it. Let's stick to the death penalty question.

If a man rapes and murders a 4-year old girl child, should he be given the death penalty? 9 out 10 people will say yes. This probably was an act of instinct, desperation or just plain lust. It's still not justified, but the point here is that the crime was not planned.

If a group of people plan for months and carry out that plan which could have resulted in the complete wipe out of the top level politicians of a country, leaving the country's law and order to dogs, should they be given death penalty? If these people knew what harm they were about to cause, then? And when they were caught, if these showed no sign of remorse or guilt whatsoever, then? No, I do not want revenge. These guys were cruel enough to plan such a heinous act and stand by it instead of feeling guilty. His family is putting forth his innocent son to evoke sympathy in the hearts of Indians. That same son will grow up and become a terrorist himself.

It's time India shed its peace loving, non-violence worshipping nation and show its enemies that if we can suffer mutely, we can as well stand up and hit back with equal power. It's time we abandoned Gandhigiri and embraced Hitlerism. British were humans, Pakistanis are not.

I say hang Mohammad Afzal and hang every single terrorist who gets caught.