[Reader-list] KASAV VERDICT

[Shuddhabrata Sengupta]

Mr. Trivedi,

In any trial, there is the possibility that the defendent will be  
acquitted. Otherwise it would not be a trial. The guilt or innocence  
of Kasab, or of any defendent, in a legal sense, is not for you or  
for me to decide, it is for the judge. And the judge does so  
depending on the evidence that is presented to him by the advocates  
who speak for the prosecution and for the defence. If the evidence  
suggests guilt to the judge, no doubt he will pronounce him guilty.  
Then we can argue over whether or not the judge delivered a fair  
verdict. But until such time as the judge pronounces his sentence,  
the only thing we can begin to speak of his fate is in the terms of   
- 'if' he is guilty.

I oppose capital punishment, no matter who is to be hanged, and for  
what crime, for the same reason which makes me oppose the decision of  
someone like Kasab (if he is indeed found guilty) to be an  
executioner in the streets of Bombay on 26.11.2008. If Kasab is  
proven to be the killer that the prosecution says he is, then no  
doubt part of his motivation will be seen to be his own twisted  
notion of justice. He too will then justify his conduct, not on the  
grounds of lowly self defence ( a ground on which i can justify  
violence) but  on the grounds of his sense of having to avenge what  
he pereceives terrible wrongs. Just as you want the state to do by  
killing him. What then, is the difference between his sense of  
justice and yours?

Finally, I simply do not want to see the taxes I pay to the state  
being used to commit pre-meditated slaughter.

I hope that gives you a sense of why I do not feel the need to say  
sorry for what I feel.

best

Shuddha

On 03-May-10, at 8:52 PM, Bipin Trivedi wrote:

> If he is guilty? Do you have any doubt about brutal terror act and  
> guilt of Kasav? It is surprising statement and feel sorry for your  
> thought. For his guilt, no judge analysis is required and even  
> small children also can understand for his brutal act and guilt.
>
> You prefer life imprisonment for whom? Who killed Indian and other  
> people and the same Indian tax payers’ money to spent for his  
> lifelong imprisonment. Again feel sorry for your thought.
>
>
> From: Shuddhabrata Sengupta [mailto:shuddha at sarai.net]
> Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 12:14 PM
> To: Bipin Trivedi
> Cc: sarai-list
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] KASAV VERDICT
>
> if he is found guilty, then life imprisonment, based on the quantum  
> of his crimes. I remain opposed to the awarding of capital  
> punishment under any circumstances.
>
>
> On 03-May-10, at 12:12 PM, Bipin Trivedi wrote:
>
>
> TODAY IS THE DAY OF AJMAL KASAV VERDICT.
>
>
>
> What do you think, what should be the punishment for him?
>
>
>
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> Shuddhabrata Sengupta
> The Sarai Programme at CSDS
> Raqs Media Collective
> shuddha at sarai.net
> www.sarai.net
> www.raqsmediacollective.net
>
>
>

Shuddhabrata Sengupta
The Sarai Programme at CSDS
Raqs Media Collective
shuddha at sarai.net
www.sarai.net
www.raqsmediacollective.net