The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : The Dhananjoy case

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Friday, Jul 02, 2004

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

The Dhananjoy case

Sir, — The Dhananjoy Chatterjee case has triggered a nationwide debate on the death penalty. Those who argue that there is no place for capital punishment in a civilised society have to answer one question: Are rape and murder of a 14-year-old permissible in a civilised society?

Hridya S. Sekhar,
Thiruvananthapuram

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Sir, — It is because of persons like Dhananjoy that the safety of women still remains a serious issue.

Kalyani Kutty R.,
Thiruvananthapuram

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Sir, — The argument that Dhananjoy should be spared the noose to enable him to repent is not convincing. Repentance should not be seen as a passport to clemency. Punishment, no matter how severe, does not stand in the way of repentance and reform.

Prince Maxim,
Mallapally, Kerala

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Sir, — The activists and the media advocating clemency for Dhananjoy can instead spend their time highlighting more fruitful social causes such as farmers' suicides in Andhra Pradesh, hunger deaths in Bolangir and serious environment issues.

Ake Ravikrishna,
Hyderabad

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Sir, — Capital punishment has been there in the criminal statute from the day of its inception. When it has failed to intimidate people and prevent them from committing crimes such as rape and murder, the execution of Dhananjoy is certainly not going to deter future criminals.

Hence the raison d'etre of the deterrent theory, which justifies capital punishment, is not sound.

Porkodi Karnan,
Paramakudi, T.N.

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Sir, — The magnitude of the punishment has never been a deterrent. The only deterrent is positive application of the law.

F.S. Prabhu,
Chennai

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Sir, — Capital punishment is one of the glitches that has to be tackled by law.

Dhananjoy deserves severe punishment but, at the same time, we need to cogitate what kind of effect it will have on the cruel acts.

Krishna Teja Mandavilli,
Hyderabad

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