The issue of Death
Penalty has again come to fore. The matter of killing someone for
having killed or markedly victimized somebody else has become a “back
and forth”, an “on and off” practice in this
Country. There is really nothing “black or white” about
the intrinsic evil of Death Penalty, it does not necessarily follow
that all criminals will be all around. And when the law of Death
Penalty is on, it is neither certain that no heinous crimes would be
committed at all. In other words, a deadly law does not necessarily
prevent deadly crimes. This is a well-established objective truth in
the past and modern history of this Country in particular. In other
words, Death Penalty is definitely not an automatic deadly crime
prevention means.
What then?
a. Get rid of the
usual causes of heinous crimes – such as the ready availability of
drugs and alcohol, the open promotion of gambling and carnal vices,
the prevalence not only of poverty but also of misery.
b. Have a Police
Force – plus their allied agents – that is really well-trained
and disciplined, that is beyond suspicion and sufficient in number,
that is a familiar neighborhood figure in terms of their protective
presence.
c. Put up a Justice
System that works, that works well, that works without friends or
foes and that works fast and credibly – over and above all
political considerations, monetary benefits, promissory promotion.
Why?
a. “You shall not
kill” is definite and defined in the sense that taking the life of
someone has no excuse except to protect one’s own in self-defense.
b.T he State has
not given life to anyone at anytime and in any occasion. So it has
neither the right to take the life of someone by Death Penalty.
c. The penalty of
Life Imprisonment for a proven heinous crime committed is just and
proper so that the criminal is made to lament, to repent, to convert
accordingly.
Just as no one has
given life to himself, neither has he the right to take it by himself
through any means such as by suicide nor has the State the right to
kill him for a given crime. And if later on – due to human
fallibility, even on the Highest Court in the land – it is found
out that the one killed is not really guilty of the heinous act he
was accused of, the State is absolutely in no position to take away
the life it has precisely taken away.
