Poetic Justice

Delhi gang-rape main accused Ram Singh found hanging - The Hindu 

By now everyone would be familiar with the recent Delhi rape incident. Very swiftly the perpetrators were caught and their trial is on-going. Two days ago the alleged mastermind was found hanged in the prison cell. His lawyer has alleged foul play and further asserts that his client was beaten and raped whilst in detention. Foul play or not there would be many who would have rejoiced upon hearing of his death and many more would have smiled sheepishly for the alleged treatment descended upon the “victim”. Victim? Many may ask and many more would silently wish that the same fate befalls the remaining accused. The tables have turned.  The predator now has become the prey.

Gandhi’s famous quote, “India will attain full freedom on the day women can walk safely at night.” If this were to be applied I believe no country in the world has actually attained freedom.

Justice must be seen to be done. But the circumstances must fall within the ambit of sensibility. When justice is executed emotionally it gives rise to a moral dilemma. To the rest of the world such an incident would be a mere tragedy that would soon be forgotten after the initial outpour of sympathy. But for the affected it is life torn apart. They would have to live with the nightmare forever etched.

Abraham Lincoln had once said, “I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice,” a paradox statement that bears contrary to the rule of law. This puts us in a further abysmal state. So how do we decide? Should mob mentality be the answer, for its simplicity and convenience, in which case no one takes neither the responsibility nor is held accountable for such actions. It is easier to be a participant in a group action than to act alone. In the latter situation greater thought is given to consequences which is conspicuously absent in the former.

Thus arises the question “Is man a rationale being?”.  If he/she was, than the rape tragedy should never have happened in the first place and the alleged prison brutality leading to a suicide would not be even imagined. So where does this leave us? We claim to be a civil society. But are we? Being sympathetic alone cannot bring change, for compassion needs action. Poetic justice, maybe but I leave it to your own conscience.