Letters to The Editor

Mercy for Shabnam 

The honourable President of India and the honourable Chief Justice of India should, as a very special case, review the decision of rejection of mercy-petition and death-sentence of Shabnam, the first-ever woman convict of death sentence in India not for the sake of Shabnam but for the sake of her sober and sensible 12-year-old son. Hanging of Shabnam will be hanging of a career of a brilliant boy who performed so well despite his being in jail for initial six years after his birth in the jail as per jail-manual. This young boy has not done any crime, and as such he certainly is entitled to see her mother living though with a life-time imprisonment. A very well-educated Shabnam, though certainly guilty of most heinous crime, can repent in the jail for rest of her life by teaching jail inmates.

Even the system is guilty of the developments emerged leading to mercy-petition being filed on behalf of her son. If hanging would have been soon after the crime in the year 2008 or even death-sentence awarded in the year 2010, the son of the convict would not have been old enough to understand crime and punishment of her mother. Rather it is time that young and sensible couple having come forward to take custody of the son of Shabnam should be complimented for providing such a caring living to the young boy now of 12 years. Hanging of Shabnam at this stage will be a big setback to the efforts of the couple.

It is time that all political parties, the UP and the Central governments should request the President of India to pardon Shabnam. However, the real culprit Saleem, an uneducated person with criminal mindset who trapped an educated Shabnam in her love and making Shabnam a party to the heinous crime, must be hanged without any further delay.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal,

Chandni Chowk, Delhi

Conserve nature

It is welcome to note that the Himachal Pradesh Government is involving school students in planting saplings and ensuring their survival to build awareness. The Forest Department has set up the 'Vidyarthi Van Mitra Yojna' under which Eco clubs have been set up in the schools to identify open or degraded forest areas for carrying out a plantation of indigenous species. The students and school administration play a vital role in identifying the site for the plantation of saplings. The school administration prepares a micro plan for the plantation, and The Divisional Forest Officer proves approval to it. The students are not only responsible for the plantation of the saplings, but also maintain the area on a long-term basis. This is a commendable move towards laying stress not just in creating awareness among students on conservation of forest and wildlife but is also emphasizing on conservation of natural resources.

Amit Singh Kushwaha,

Satna (M.P.)

Of 'conscience keeping'

Since I believe in democracy and constitutional right of freedom of speech, I can't afford to stoop to the disgusting level of branding persons residing in my opposite pole of opinion as 'Parasites' 'Termites' or 'Traitors'! So through the pages of The Sentinel, I offer my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Aparna Sarma Chowdhury and Dr. P.C. Sarmah for the letters titled "Conscience keeper?" and "Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi" (February 22) respectively.

Firstly, though I had praised Rahul Gandhi to the maximum and still stand by my each and every word; but perhaps I didn't demand Bharat Ratna either for him or for his brother-in-law Robert Vadra (whom I didn't even name also)! Why this exaggeration, Ms. Sarma Chowdhury!

Secondly, if Rahul and Vadra are so "conscienceless" and "corrupt" as alleged by the saffron ecosystem, I wonder why stringent action has not yet been taken against them despite the presence of the harbingers of "Good Days" at the helm of the nation for almost 7 years! After all the "mother-son dynasty" has been razed to dust forever, isn't it! So what prevents the ruling power to prosecute the "corrupt" Gandhis!

Thirdly, minimum civility and sense of justice demand that a person should be treated as innocent until proven guilty. Also there lies the existence of an institution named Court of law. Can a person with minimum rationality afford to act as a self-declared judge and promptly declare a person as "corrupt" just because an allegation of corruption has been hurled against the individual! Would Ms. Sarma Chowdhury kindly have a rethink on this issue! Still if she thinks that "accusation is synonymous to conviction", then perhaps she should support Rahul Gandhi as well when he points accusing fingers towards a political heavyweight on various issues be it revolving Rafale or Nirav Modi! Or one and only Rahul can be "wrong" with his main political adversaries being "paragons of virtue"!

Now let me humbly enlighten Dr. Sarmah that I am a paid advocate of neither Rahul Gandhi nor Mamata Banerjee and so there lies no question of indulging in the exercise of "whitewashing" them! As a matter of fact, there lies every reason to criticise the duo on various issues. But I would definitely defend them (and also other individuals) when they are maligned in an unfair way and also I would certainly acknowledge the praiseworthy qualities of them. And may I know the wall of which prominent political personality of the nation is yet to be "spotted"! So it is better not to indulge in stone-throwing by living in glass houses!

As for Banerjee's attitude for "safeguarding illegal foreigners", I don't want to engage in a debate revolving around NRC as it would be a futile exercise drawing nothing but bad blood. But definitely would any humanitarian soul get hurt even if a single innocent person gets declared as "foreigner" and imprisoned/deported just for his/her "sin" of failing to "satisfy" the State apparatus due to lack of any document as demanded! And courteous behaviour should be extended not only to the democratically elected Prime minister , but each and every citizen of the society because at the end of the day we are all human beings. But along with expectation of receiving courteous behaviour, I should also extend the same to others also. Persons protesting against "personal attack upon a democratically elected Prime minister" should also be seen to protest similarly when a democratically elected Chief minister of any state is also character assassinated in the filthiest language possible. Yes two wrongs do not make a right; but if criticism is done on any particular issue, it should not be a one-sided affair only. And if a list of "persons without any conscience" were made, it would be dominated by the Who's Who of the most dominant political dispensation of the country and so less said the better!

Before ending, again let me humbly confess that I am nobody to "enlighten" the society about Priyanka or Sonia Gandhi, as requested by Ms. Sarma Chowdhury, because at the end of the day, everybody knows everything. The works of individuals, good or bad, would have the final say about them. Since Priyanka is yet to launch herself in big-time politics unlike her brother or mother, I don't have much to say about her. But definitely is she humble, gentle, polite and dignified unlike the majority of the chest-thumping politicians around the country! Also she had displayed her humanitarian mindset when she engaged herself on streets arranging transport for the hungry penniless poorest of poor migrant workers to ferry them home; who were all left in the lurch following the reckless decision of instant lockdown. Salute to Priyanka for her "Dramabazi", which if emulated by those in power; perhaps many innocent lives, compelled to indulge in "Long March", would have got saved! And Sonia Gandhi is a gem of a lady who merits a separate article; which I would definitely write very soon as a tribute to her by obeying the invitation of Ms. Sarma Chowdhury!

Lastly, it is indeed an honour to me that "my name needs no introduction to Assam" which is my most favourite Indian state apart from Bengal! This is the reason why I have visited the exquisite state as many as 3 times and harbouring a dream to visit there repeatedly in my lifetime. Apart from the divinity of Kamakhya or serenity of Basistha Ashram, it is the land of my most favourite singer Dr. Bhupen Hazarika as well — the Zazabor or Bhupenda closest to our heart! So it is indeed a matter of utmost pleasure to know that the name of this non-entity "needs no introduction to Assam"! But I have indeed got a bit stumped by the term "due to reason best known to all"! It would have been nice if Ms. Sarma Chowdhury had also clearly specified the reason behind my "immense recognition" in Assam! Is it for any positive reason or negative! If negative, then is it because I am not a Bhakt and don't worship the saffron ecosystem or praise those whom the saffronites love to hate! Is it because I talk on behalf of secularism and protest against communalism! Surely all Asomiya brothers and sisters do not think the same about me along with The Sentinel!

Concluding with the immortal lyrics of the Xudha Kontho — "Manuh Jodihe Nohoi Manuh/ Danob Kahanioo Nohoi Manuh/ Jodi Danob Kahaniba Hoi Manuh/ Laaz Pabo Kunenu Kua?/ Homoniya!".

Yes, drawing inspiration from these lines, I would continue to write in favour of humanity and protest against their exploitation by remaining sympathetic towards the weak and oppressed irrespective of their racial linguistic religious caste provincial or national credentials. Let the spirit of "Manuhe Manuhar Babe" win the day.

Kajal Chatterjee,

Peerless Nagar, Kolkata-114