The editorial comments on the hanging of Kasab (“The hangman’s justice,” Nov. 22) smack of self-deception. The observation that “… Kasab could have provided valuable testimony in future trials of yet-to-be arrested 26/11 perpetrators” is hardly realistic. The authorities would have certainly collected whatever information he had.
M. Radhakrishnan,
Chennai
The purpose of punishment is to usher in change for a good cause. A great man said an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. And the world wants a peaceful resolution of issues. But how many of us will not return the slap we get? Certainly not most of us.
Unless an incident takes place, we don’t learn our lessons. Students do not study unless there are exams. King Ashoka preached peace after much bloodshed in the Kalinga war. Before Kasab was hanged, we felt he should be hanged. Now we feel he should have been dealt with differently.
P. Dharani,
Hyderabad
The message Kasab’s hanging has sent is — only people without political support are executed in India. It appears to have been perfectly timed by the corruption and scandal-ridden UPA government to try and win back people’s confidence before the general elections.
M.V.L. Vivek
Visakhapatnam
Drawing a parallel between Kasab and Rajiv Gandhi assassins is not right. The mastermind in Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination and those who executed the plan are dead. The convicts awaiting the disposal of their mercy petitions were not the assassins, they were only accomplices. But Kasab shot dead scores of innocent citizens himself.
P. Swaminatha Krishna,
Chennai
By no stretch of argument can a terrorist be described as a PoW (Letters, Nov. 23). 26/11 was a one-sided attack on the integrity of India and innocent citizens of Mumbai.
Amit Joshi,
Roorkee
