Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Punishing the victim?

Imagine a woman belonging to a minority community who is a victim of a communal holocaust being sentenced to jail for perjury. Given the circumstances in which Zahira Sheikh was placed, could she be expected to speak the truth?

This is not to condone falsehood under normal circumstances. Imprisonment of Zahira would amount to punishing the victim. Instead of trying to teach her a lesson, would it not be better if we learnt a lesson or two from history?

N.G.R. Prasad,
Chennai

* * *

Is Zahira more guilty than the Ministers and officials who watched as Gujarat burnt and did nothing? Can a young woman, whose dear ones have been snatched away from her violently, be treated as any other person giving false evidence or changing testimony? Is it unusual for one who has lost everything to fall prey to monetary inducement?

C.K. Raju,
Thrissur, Kerala

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