Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Welcome verdict

The Salem Sessions Court has given its verdict in the Dharmapuri bus burning case exactly seven years after the gruesome incident in which three innocent college students were burnt alive by a frenzied mob following the conviction of AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa in the Kodaikanal Pleasant Stay Hotel case. The verdict sentencing three AIADMK men to death will be contested in higher courts. Whatever the ultimate outcome of the case, it is heartening to note that the courts in the country are prepared to hear the common man.

Whenever a verdict affects a politician adversely, his or her party workers take to the streets affecting the livelihood of innocent wage earners or destroying public property at will. It is time the judiciary took notice of this tendency, which will prove very dangerous to our democracy if left unchecked.

C.S. Sukhavanam,
Coimbatore

This refers to the editorial "Justice despite the odds" (Feb. 17). Positive judicial activism and a parent's perseverance have helped restore people's faith in the country's laws and justice dispensation. Not only individual culprits but also the political parties they represent should be penalised.

S. Sivaraman,
Bangalore

The Salem Sessions Court has upheld justice. Political parties across the country must realise that violence in any form as a means of protest will not be tolerated.

S. Nagaraja,
Coimbatore

Even though the verdict has come after seven years, justice has been done. One hopes it will serve as a warning to those who indulge in mindless violence.

S. Raghavan,
Tiruchi

Organised violence leads to the killing of innocent people for no fault of theirs. For the perpetrators of the Dharmapuri incident, capital punishment is not an undeserved one. The sentence, if executed, will change the way power politics is played out on the streets of India.

L. Santhosh,
Bangalore

The verdict has reinforced the common people's faith in the judiciary. We hope it will be seen as a warning to the political outfits that think nothing of targeting the innocent to achieve their political goals. In fact, recognition of political parties whose workers engage in such heinous acts should be withdrawn.

Soumya Suresh,
Puducherry

The editorial has rightly stated that the wheels of justice grind slowly but grind they do. The painstaking and persevering efforts of N.P. Veerasamy, father of Kokilavani, one of the victims, have borne fruit. The judge has hit the nail on the head by saying that the three men committed the cold-blooded murders only to further their political career and hence deserve the death penalty.

Mani Natarajan,
Chennai

The judiciary has proved that truth always triumphs. Mr. Veerasamy's perseverance against all odds is truly commendable.

N. Rajendra Naidu,
Birmingham, Alabama

It was Mr. Veerasamy's determination and steadfast belief in the justice system that saw the conclusion of a long-drawn battle. Even though the verdict cannot compensate the loss of the families, it is a ray of hope for many others who are waging a battle against odds.

P.P. Padmakumar,
Puducherry

One wonders what would have happened had Kokilavani's father not approached the Madras High Court for the transfer of the case from Krishnagiri to Salem. The conduct of the case has proved yet again that politicians stop at virtually nothing to exert pressure on the criminal justice system, and that the judiciary remains a silent spectator as several obstacles are posed to delay the proceedings. In such circumstances, how can the ordinary citizen get justice? As long as delaying tactics are legitimately allowed to interfere with the judicial process, the politician-criminal nexus can manipulate anything at will.

S. Prakash,
Mutharasanallur, T.N.

The landmark judgment should set a precedent for other courts to follow in cases involving violence in any part of the country. Courts should also impose fines on the political parties to compensate the kin of the victims. Leaders of political parties cannot wash their hands of the misdeeds of their supporters as violence is carried out in their name.

Krishna Kumar,
Ahmedabad

It is hoped the judgment will instil some fear in the minds of the yes-men and henchmen of political bosses across the country. In the Dharmapuri case, the police, the prosecution, the parents of the victims, and the unwavering eyewitnesses deserve to be praised for having fought against all odds. More than anything else, a change of guard at the helm of affairs in the State made a difference.

S.T.C. Sudhakar,
Tuticorin

The verdict shows how the ruling elite seeks to protect the perpetrators of heinous crimes if they belong to the party in power. Unfortunately, such inhuman behaviour goes unnoticed even by the people who elect the patrons of such elements to power. But for Mr. Veerasamy's crusade, the Dharmapuri bus burning case would have been another black chapter in our history.

J. Arvind Narayan,
Mauritius

Whatever the final outcome of the case, we salute Mr. Veerasamy, constable M. Muthuvel, and the Special Investigation Team for their untiring efforts to get justice.

V. Venkataraman,
Chennai

In Tamil Nadu, the rank and file of political parties see their leaders as larger-than-life figures and show an almost fanatical devotion to them. They are only too ready to do anything to please or curry favour with their political idols. Given this syndrome, they are notoriously prone to resort to violence when their leaders are perceived to be in trouble. It is immaterial to them whether the problem is of the leader's own making or part of political witch-hunt. As in the Dharmapuri case, the victims of senseless political violence are always innocent persons. The verdict should wake up everyone to the need to change the political culture in Tamil Nadu for the better.

G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, T.N.

The judgment is welcome. But it cannot be denied that all the 28 found guilty are puppets in a larger political drama. Ironically, the strings have turned into a noose around their necks.

Sujatha Menon,
Chennai

Party workers undergo punishment while their leaders enjoy power. The judgment should open the eyes of fanatical followers of political leaders.

Y.N. Joshi,
Hubli

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