THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary - April 18, 2018 - Topic 2
Clamour for death: On hanging rapists of minors
Each time a horrific sexual
crime hits the headlines, there is a clamour for prescribing the death penalty
for such offences. Given this, it is perhaps no surprise that the gang-rape and
murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir has evoked a similar
response. Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi has said
her ministry will seek an amendment to the Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences Act, 2012, to provide for death as the maximum punishment for the rape
of those below 12.
The anger is understandable but legislation ought to be a
well-considered exercise and not a response based on a sense of outrage over
particular incidents. The last time a ghastly crime led to legislative change
was in 2013, following a national outcry over the gang rape and murder of a
woman in Delhi in December 2012. That set of amendments to criminal law was a
structured response, largely based on the recommendations of a committee of
eminent jurists. In its January 2013 report, the committee, headed by former
Chief Justice of India J.S. Verma, decided against recommending the death
penalty for rape, despite demands. It rightly took into account the possibility
of awarding life sentences without remission for aggravated sexual assault, as
well as “the current thinking in favour of the abolition of the death penalty”.
However, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, set the death penalty for rape
in the event of it causing the victim’s death or a persistent vegetative state,
and for repeat offenders.
In recent
months, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh have
sought to amend the law to prescribe the death penalty for the rape of a minor
below the age of 12. There is a clear dichotomy of views on the desirability of
prescribing a death penalty. Enlightened public opinion would not approve of a
vengeful state response to individual brutality, even if outraged public
opinion clamoured for it. Moreover, it should not be forgotten that the death
penalty has never been a deterrent against any sort of crime. There is little
empirical evidence to show that those about to commit a capital offence would
stop themselves merely out of the fear of being hanged. Further, there is a
legitimate concern that the country’s judicial system has not been consistent
in awarding the death penalty. The Law Commission, while recommending abolition
of the death penalty, except in terrorism-related cases, observed that it is
difficult to operate the ‘rarest of rare cases’ principle without a hint of
arbitrariness. It will be especially wrong to force judges to compare the
relative ‘merits’ of rape victims based on their age and choose between death
sentence and life. Lengthy prison sentences, constituting both well-deserved
consequences for grave crimes and a life-long opportunity for penitence, will
adequately meet the ends of justice.
Vocabulary
Horrific: causing horror.
Example: Horrific injuries
Synonyms: dreadful, horrendous, horrible, frightful, fearful, awful, terrible
Clamour: a loud and confused noise, especially that of
people shouting.
Example: The questions rose to a clamour
Synonyms: din, racket, loud noise, uproar,
tumult, babel
Offence: a breach of a law or rule; an illegal act.
Example: Neither offense violates any federal law
Synonyms: crime, illegal/unlawful
act, misdemeanor, breach of the law
Evoke: bring or recall to the conscious mind.
Example: The sight of american asters evokes pleasant memories of
childhood
Anger: a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or
hostility.
Example: The colonel's anger at his daughter's disobedience
Synonyms: rage, vexation, exasperation, displeasure, crossness, irritation
Outrage: an extremely strong reaction of anger, shock, or
indignation.
Example: Her voice trembled with outrage
Synonyms: indignation, fury, anger, rage, disapproval, wrath, resentment
Possibility: a thing that may happen or be the case.
Example: The theoretical possibility of a chain reaction
Synonyms: chance, likelihood, probability, hope, risk, hazard, danger, fear
Assault: a physical attack.
Example: His imprisonment for an assault on the film director
Synonyms: battery, violence, sexual
assault, rape
Aggravate: annoy or exasperate someone, especially
persistently.
Example: The gesture aggravated me even more
Synonyms: annoy, irritate, exasperate, bother, put
out, nettle, provoke
Remission: the cancellation of a debt, charge, or penalty.
Example: The plan allows for the partial remission of tuition fees
Synonyms: cancellation, setting
aside, suspension, revocation, abrogation
Deterrent: able or intended to deter.
Example: The deterrent effect of heavy prison sentences
Synonyms: disincentive, discouragement, damper, curb, check, restraint
Consequence: a result or effect of an action or condition.
Example: Many have been laid off from work as a consequence of the
administration's policies
Synonyms: result, upshot, outcome, effect, repercussion, ramification
Adequate: satisfactory or acceptable in quality or quantity.
Example: This office is perfectly adequate for my needs
Synonyms: sufficient, enough, requisite; acceptable, passable, reasonable
