19 December 2012, 03:11 PM IST
Stoning to death is very brutal punishment. It was widely followed in medieval times. In fact, some countries even follow it as a capital punishment now, although it is debatable whether the crime for which this kind of punishment is meted out, actually deserves this treatment.
Stoning as a capital punishment is not just about death. It is about pain, humiliation, inhuman torture. It is about setting an example which can be used as a deterrent for years to come. Stoning is perhaps one of the most shocking form of punishments that can ever be.
Yet, in a fit of anger and anguish stoning appears as such wonderful punishment for sadistic criminals who go about as if nothing has happened just a few hours after committing a heinous crime. For a brief moment, in a flash of anger and anguish when this blogger heard of the Delhi gangrape, stoning seemed such a wonderful solution.
Before human rights activists start drawing out their daggers, this blogger would like to clarify that he does not advocate stoning for any crime under any circumstances. He is just sharing a thought that passed through his mind for a brief moment.
Talking about crime and punishment, the present penalty for rape under the Indian laws does seem a bit too lenient. Even if you get tough with rapist and put him away for 14 years, they would return to society much more hungry and ready to feast on another innocent victim. Fourteen years isn't all that long as it sounds and perhaps too little to reform a sadistic criminal. In fact, guys like them should not be let loose for even a single day.
Stoning is too harsh and unacceptable, but capital punishment in the current form under the Indian laws? Maybe not.
A rapist believes that he can get away with his crime. Even if he is identified, he still believes that he will be let off lightly. If he is convicted, he still believes he can come back and commit the crime again. There is something wrong with the society and maybe also the laws. What India needs is a strong enough punishment, which will act as a strong deterrent. If that has to be the capital punishment, so be it.
The Delhi gang rape should be used to set an example, even if the law needs to be tweaked a little. This should be treated as the rarest of rare cases and appropriate punishment handed down. Sometimes the society has to become savage to deal with savages. That perhaps will not happen. Unfortunately, the laws have their limitations and lawmakers their restrictions.
A word about protecting the identity of the victim. The world is told about the victim's age, profession, her education, her background, where she got her degree from…and yet we make a great show of protecting her identity by not disclosing her name. Given all the parameters, within 48 hours, half of India would have been in a position to identify her. It recalls Kolkata's infamous Park Street rape case. The victim was identified as an Anglo-Indian and the locality of her residence was even marked out. Yet, her identity was "protected" as her name wasn't disclosed. In these cases, won't just a "young/middle-aged/elderly middle-class lady (or whatever) be enough?
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