Let me ask you some questions, if you don't mind, to kind of get the ball rolling. You're from India, right? How is it viewed in India? Do people there seem to be split on the issue and do you think there are any trends on that split. For example, do people in the country feel one way about it while people in the city feel another way? Is there currently a national dialog on it? If so, what do you think is driving the discussion? Lastly, what are your personal thoughts? Why?
Yes, I am from India. Currently there is death penalty in India for rarest of rare cases, cases which stir our concise and are barbaric. Yes, there is a national dialogue on it, but there is no split rural-urban wise. Let me tell you the situation: The problem is that our, criminal justice system is so overburdened with delays that most of the criminals are not convicted in time, even for minor punishments, what to say of death penalty.. And what drives me crazy is crime against women, our honorable Supreme court has said that rapes which lead victim's murder or leave them in vegetative state are liable to fall under rarest of rare case. Yet again, the clog in justice system prevents justice and Justice delayed is justice denied. Law commission here has recently favored abolishing death penalty except in Terrorism cases.It says crime rates have come down, moreover death penalty does not act as deterrent, sentencing as per rarest of rare case is arbitrary, and the biggest point is WAITING for trials is almost torture, besides we are also on minority on death penalty in world. So, finally my views on death penalty: This is the land of Gandhi and Buddha preaching "an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind" and non-violence, so, how can we support state sponsored murder and vengeance?The justice system is and has to be reformative and not retributive. As for rarest of rare cases are concerned I feel Life sentence is enough punishment and can be more harsh for some. With regard to deterrence aspect, what i feel is, first we need to ensure punishment at least ,without delays. Assured and guaranteed punishment of whatever amount will be surely instrumental in bringing down crime rates.