death penalty news July 26, 2004
INDIA: JUSTICE SALDANHA DEFENDS DEATH PENALTY 'We have failed to reform hardened criminals, murder is easier than pick pocket' Some anti-social elements do not repent for their acts. It was not possible to reform them either. Death sentence for such elements was necessary, observed Mr. Justice M.F. Saldanha, former Judge of Karnataka High Court, here yesterday. Participating in a workshop at St. Philomena's College here yesterday, he said that hardened criminals should not be condoned under the guise of human rights. He, however, said he had no fixed notion whether or not capital punishment should be awarded. The retired judge was delivering the keynote address at a workshop on "Abolition of capital punishment in India" under the joint auspices of Jeevodaya Prison Ministry of India, Mysore Unit and People's Legal Forum, Mysore. Heinous crimes Certain crimes were so heinous that they necessitated the severest punishment. There should be a nexus between the gravity of the crime and punishment. There were enough safety measures in India's judicial system in which the possibility of error in punishing the innocent was very minimum and also, by and large, death sentence was not awarded at random and to innocent people, Mr. Justice Saldanha explained. The number of murders committed in India was far higher when compared with picking pockets, he remarked. There was no value for life in the sub-continent. The percentage of death sentences awarded in India was 0.4 per cent while the actual execution was only 0.2 per cent, Mr. Justice Saldanha observed. Bishop of Mysore Rev. Fr. Antony Vazhapilly, Secretary of People's Legal Forum Mr. P.P. Baburaj, KSRTC Mysore Division Controller Mr. Moodnakoodu B. Chinnaswamy and Diocesan Co-ordinator Dr. S. Geneveive were present. Calculations go wrong Interestingly, the Forum had apparently invited Mr. Justice Saldanha hoping that he would support them in the campaign against the Supreme Court's confirmation of death sentence to four of Veerappan aides. The Forum, during the last few months, has been holding such seminars to mobilise public opinion, including dignitaries in the society, in favour of the mercy petitions submitted by the condemned criminals seeking commutation of the death sentence into life imprisonment. However, the Forum's calculations went wrong as Mr. Justice Saldanha, known for his independent thinking, instead of supporting their cause, advocated death sentence for hardened criminals. The topic of the workshop too was partial: "Abolition of Capital punishment." It did not leave scope for a debate. It would have been impartial if the topic asked 'Whether we need capital punishment or not?' (source: Star of Mysore)
