The trial of Ajmal Qasab, the lone terrorist captured during the Nov.27 attack on Mumbai and fellow defendants had begun in Mumbai and the court relieved Anjali Waghmare, the lawyer appointed by the court to defend Qasab, because of what it saw as a conflict of interest. Anjali Waghmare is the wife of a policeman. Qasab asked for a Pakistani lawyer to represent him.
The main topic for discussion on the show was whether Qasab should be given a Pakistani lawyer to defend him. The panel included Ram Jethmalani-one of India's best lawyers ever, an MP of the Siv Sena, the attorney representing the state of Maharashtra in the case, a visiting journalist from Pakistan and most notably Shantanu Saikia, whose wife Sabina died during the attacks. While there were arguments for and against Qasab being given a Pakistani lawyer, the highest point of the show was when Shantanu Saikia told the surprised panel that he, and his daughter and son had decided to forgive Qasab for what he had done.
Shantanu Saikia - Image Courtesy: www.women-without-borders.org
Saikia said that his wife was just a victim, and not the target and that hanging Qasab wont make things any better for him, his children or the world in general. He also added that his 12-year old son has expressed a desire to visit Qasab in jail and spend time with him. Everyone in the panel, and even Barkha Dutt herself was rendered speechless. Shantanu went on to add that we need to expel fears, anger and dogma from our minds.
A visibly moved Barkha Dutt, lost for words tried to conclude the discussions, even as Ram Jethmalani interrupted, saying "This young man's words must be printed, broadcast and spread throughout the world. When the terrorists see it, they will hang their head in shame !".
As Barkha Dutt, having regained her composure concluded the discussions, Shantanu Saikia's words still echoed in my hearts, and I am sure that anybody who happened to watch the show would have felt the same. In these times of anger and hatred, one man has demonstrated that we can still raise above the common theme of hatred, spreading rays of love.
Shantanu Saikia, hats off to you !
PS: I personally think that Qasab should be given the highest punishment possible. It may not change the minds of these terrorists, but it will certainly remind them of the consequences of carrying out attacks against innocent people.
damn good........
ReplyDeleteits difficult to believe that there r people like Shantanu Saikia in this world......
heart-felt ....
ReplyDeleteShantanu Saikia spoke in the difficult position and in the difficult role...he is the father of a son whose mother is a "victim"...and he had to say something on which this case has to predicate on.
I cant believe the way he spoke as a father and a judge...Qasab certainly has to face his judgement,as a conspirator and a executioner...
The terrorists are real pretenders,the pretenders are real terrorists........
whatever of religion,race,or other...
Why the highest punishment? The terrorists were ready to die anyway. We should not forget that what we call terrorism is freedom fight to Kashmiris and Jihaad to the Taliban. So this is an ideological fight which is also deeply connected to the social relations in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Innocent lives are lost , but our grief should not blind us from seeing social realities and what the Indian government is doing to Kashmiris. Hundreds of people are killed and illegally prisoned in the valley by the Indian government. Are we concerned about that? Do only middle class lives count?
ReplyDelete@mythri
ReplyDeleteyeah, the terrorists were ready to die anyway !
"Hundreds of people are killed and illegally prisoned in the valley by the Indian government. Are we concerned about that?" - Yes, I am ! But it should not deter us from punishing offenders, and the stuff Qasab calls for the highest punishment in my opinion.
"Do only middle class lives count?"- Definitely Not ! Every single Human life counts ! But we have to find a trade-off between the respect for Qasab's life and the consequences of his utter disregard for the lives of others !
I am against capital punishment, to state a moral position. I feel that no individual or society has right to take a life. If terrorism is an organised form of violence, so is capital punishment. This idea of trade off is quite a relative thing. Respect of life can only be an absolute concept. By introducing trade off , you have made it relative which means that you have no right to complain if Bin laden's or Sivasena's rate of trade off is slightly different.
ReplyDeleteI would look at the conditions of Qusab's life and the society he lived in before judging him.
Hello Mythri. You are right. No one, whether they be from an organised terrorist group, or from the highest court, has the right to take a life. Capital punishment would be meer revenge & acting out of fear. They would be just as guilty.
ReplyDeleteThis kid, Qasab, didn't even comprehend the full meaning of jihad. Put this kid in a structured, healthy environment, in which he can evolve, give him an education, solid moral values. With time, he will see the difference from his upbringing. That is when he will understand & feel utterly ashamed of what he did. Let him inflict his own punishment on himself. Right now, he has nothing to compare to. Killing him makes us just as unenlightened & unevolved animals. Nicole