Should Rajiv’s killers be allowed to move out free?

Should Rajiv’s killers be allowed to move out free?

Recently the supreme court of India gave a decisive judgement where it commuted the death sentence of the killers of Rajiv Gandhi to life imprisonment.

But very soon Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalitha passed legislation in the TN assembly giving orders to set free the assassins of Rajiv Gandhi. Let’s look into the appropriateness of this decision:-

In favor

1. The assassins of Rajiv Gandhi have been in jail for more than 20 years and they have suffered very rigorous imprisonment tenure. So, they must be allowed to move out free.

2. Before this, there have been mercy petitions regarding the absolvement of punishment for terrorists like Bhullar. So, this is not the first instance.

3. The motive of any punishment is deterrence. The assassins of the ex PM of India have served a very long imprisonment which is sufficient to create deterrence.

4. Gandhiji once said,”an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind”. Similarly, to kill the assassins because they killed the PM of India would not be principally convincing.

5. Various human rights group have always advocated such steps as that of the Tamil Nadu CM. such decisions are taken on humanitarian grounds.

6. The daughter of two assassins Nandini, made a request to Rahul Gandhi to set free her parents saying that she has remained like an orphan all these years because her parents were in jail. On moral grounds, they must be set free.

7. A famous bollywood star has moved out on parole and his parole is being extended on the ground of his wife’s illness. If this permission could be sought then why not the assassins be released out of jail?

Against

1. This decision of Tamil Nadu CM is politically motivated to instigate the feelings of right wing Tamils and get votes in her favor. Such steps should be strongly condemned.

2. If this step would be implemented, it would set a very bad precedent and in the near future every terrorist will quote it for his release. So, the killers should not be released.

3. This will send a very bad message in the international community that India could not even provide justice to its PM.

4. The assassins of Rajiv Gandhi didn’t just kill him but also a few people who were standing around him were killed; one of them being a photojournalist. How will we provide justice to them if the killers will be released?

5. This decision to release them is a mockery of law, order and justice.

6. If the killers will be released, what is the guarantee that they will not participate in any such heinous activities after moving out?

7. Terrorism is the cruelest and heinous crime of the world and no leniency should be made for such criminals on any ground. It will send a bad signal to the other perpetrators of such crime.

8. The Supreme Court has given its verdict of life imprisonment and also ordered a stay on the Tamil Nadu govt’s order. So, law is taking its due course and there is no point to release the killers.

Conclusion

The decision of Jayalalitha is focused on bringing the Tamil votes in her favor and it calls to be criticized in the strongest words and actions. Any compromise on the level of terrorism must not be made for strengthening one’s vote bank.

The assassins must be brought to books and the court has decided over it. There is no scope of any decision to be taken beyond the periphery of judiciary.