A letter from Science & Rationalists' Association of India

 

Sir,
WE, ALONG WITH HUMANISTS' ASSOCIATION AND SCIENCE & RATIONALISTS' ASSOCIATION OF INDIA , ARE CAMPAIGNING FOR THE EXECUTION OF CONVICT DHANANJAY CHATTERJEE. DHANANJAY WAS CONVICTED OF RAPING AND KILLING 14 YR. OLD HETAL PAREKH ON MARCH 5,1990 IN HER APARTMENT BUILDING WHERE HE WORKED AS A CARETAKER. HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HANGED ON JUNE 25,2004. FOLLOWING A MERCY PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT BY HIS FAMILY MEMBERS AT THE 11TH HOUR, HE IS IN REPRIEVE SINCE THEN. THE DEPT. JUSTICE WILL DECIDE WHETHER CLEMENCY CAN BE GRANTED. A KEY FACTOR IN THIS REGARD IS WHETHER A PARDON WILL BE OF PUBLIC INTEREST.


If you agree with us, add your name and address and forwarded to the
Honorable President of India.

http://presidentofindia.nic.in/scripts/writetopresident.jsp 

On behalf of Prabir Ghosh

www.srai.org  

    

To
THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA.
RASHTRAPATI BHAWAN
NEW DELHI

Sir,
Regarding Dhananjay Chatterjee’s reprieve, we have a few questions to ask;  few points to make:-

1) Is capital punishment abolished in our country? The answer is ‘NO’. Then why this consideration for a man who raped a minor girl and later killed her in a gruesome manner? A man who, in cold blood, killed a resident of the house he has supposed to guard? Wasn’t the charge proved beyond doubt?

2) Can anyone imagine the pain and anguish of the girl’s parents, her family members? What they have gone though for thirteen long years, hoping for the ultimate punishment for their daughter’s rapist and killer?

3) Those pseudo-intellectuals who wanted the punishment to be withdrawn are a handful. Would they feel the same compassion for the culprit, had the victim been their own daughters or granddaughters?

4) A vast majority of our common men , simple men and women who want peace and security for their loved ones, would curse the decision. All they want to see is justice. And justice means exemplary punishment for the wrong-doer, without justice is not honored, goodness is not rewarded.

5) We have seen people being confirmed to life-imprisonment for killing in self-defence, for murdering to avenge prolonged deprivation, for taking up arms in protest against exploitation, rape and torture of their own kith and kin (by Ranvir Sena and the likes of them). Let these so-called intellectuals show their forgiveness for such poor prisoners, those nameless hundreds rotting in our jail. Let them not show this swallow, thoughtless and false compassion for a rapist and a murderer. This way, they may get their names published in the papers, or their faces shown on TV, but they would lose respect of the masses.

6) Now, if Hetal Parekh’s father kills Dhananjay t vent his suppressed anger, what should be his punishment? Very light, we suppose. More and more people would be prompted to take justice in their own hands if after this inordinate delay, the final verdict takes such a turn. We, therefore, strongly condemn this reprieve and demand immediate justice to be meted out by implementing the Supreme Court order.

Signed:

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