Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Death for Dhananjoy

Sir, — The President was right in dismissing the appeal of Dhananjoy Chatterjee, convicted for rape and murder, for clemency. While erring may be human, some `mistakes' are irreparable and do not deserve to be pardoned.

G.V.K. Durga Ravi,
Muscat, Oman

Sir, — According to self-appointed rights activists, the death penalty is barbaric, but rape, murder and political assassinations can be passed off with a life sentence. The recent uproar over Dhananjoy's hanging does not augur well for society or for criminal jurisprudence.

V. Ramkrishna,
Chennai

Sir, — There is nothing wrong in awarding the death penalty to a person found guilty of committing a cruel and inhuman crime. But he should have been hanged 10 years ago. That he was after languishing in prison for 14 years is unfortunate.

M.G. Rajamanickam,
New Delhi

Sir, — In situations such as Dhananjoy's case, the punishment, instead of being seen as something that satisfies the law, should be left to the discretion of the affected family. None can stand in the shoes of the victim's family.

K. Prakash,
Bangalore

Sir, — The media have done their best to make a martyr out of a villain. It seems to be more of a fashion to advocate human rights of those committing inhuman acts.

Vipul Choudhary,
Chandigarh

Sir, — While many human rights organisations have protested the death sentence, an equal number of outraged citizens felt that the rapist-killer deserved to hang.

We cannot help recalling the words of the Mahatma who said: "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind ... I cannot in all conscience agree to anyone being sent to the gallows. God alone can take life because He alone gives it."

Srimathi Venkatachari,
Chennai

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