The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : On the death penalty

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Friday, Nov 02, 2007
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

On the death penalty

Even though the death penalty is sought to be abolished the world over, it is necessary to retain it at least for putting the fear of death in the minds of criminals. Crimes such as terrorist strikes and communal riots should be treated as a different category, not just as murder. The perpetrators deserve the death penalty and nothing less. They act not just against individuals but the nation.

S.A. Nasser Khan,

Chennai

I agree that the death sentence should be retained. The argument that its continuance has not reduced the incidence of murders has not been proved. In fact, the application of the “rarest of rare” yardstick is one reason why murders have become more common now. It is well known that many lifers continue to run their business outside prison walls and enjoy normal life inside, thanks to corruption and political influence. There is nothing immoral about taking away a human life which has scant respect for another.

S. Rajagopalan,

Chennai

The campaign for the abolition of the death penalty is ill-timed and inappropriate in the context of global terrorism. The world has never seen such a spate of killings before. Human bombs and bomb blasts have become the order of the day. How is the life of a killer more precious than that of an innocent victim? The move to abolish the death sentence is a case of misplaced sympathy.

A. Ranganathan,

Coimbatore

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On the death penalty