Reply to Mr. Katju for seeking pardon to Sanjay Dutt

An appeal to His Excellency  the Governor of Maharashtra to pardon Sanjay Dutt under Article 161 of the Constitution (Link to his blog posting)

http://justicekatju.blogspot.in/2013/03/pressnote-anappeal-to-his-excellency.html

As a regular follower of Justice Katju’s blog, his (latest blog post) letter written to Governor of Maharashtra has come to me as a surprise. I am trying to understand as from which perspective does he seek pardon to actor Sanjay Dutt, who has been found guilty of possessing arms and ammunition.

I am wondering, how many times he would have written such letter(s) to president and governors for seeking pardon to a common man. We all know our legal system; there are hundreds of under trials languishing in jails just because of the delay in their conviction or acquittal by judiciary. Has Mr Katju written such a letter for any of them or does he really know the status of under trials, being an ex supreme jugde, I am sure he must be.

Now if we read his letter written to Maharashtra’s governor, it annoys you and at the same time makes you laugh as well. Do we expect someone like Mr Katju who is ex Supreme Court judge, currently chairman of Press Council and a highly regarded intellectual to write such a letter?

i) His first point makes all sense when he says that “……there is power in the Court under Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 to release the person under these circumstances of the case on furnishing a bond…”. But then why is Mr Katju asking the Governor to intervene, if the actor has a legal option under certain act of law, he’ll definitely go to court and seek release under that particular act.

ii) His second point also holds faith in constitutional remedies and past judgment in similar case (I am not in agreement for that case also). So, appropriate authorities will take their decision under our legal framework.

Mr Katju does not stop here, he further elaborated his viewpoint by citing some comical reasons –

a).  Event took place 20 years back and sanjay dutt suffered a lot during this time, such as problem in shooting at foreign locations and bank loan. May I let Mr Katju know that these are not sufferings at all, if he want to see the real life struggle and sufferings go to any home of those 70 crores Indians who have all been fooled by this nation. Suffered a lot.

There is a case of Demolition of Babri mosque which is also 20 years old, what is Mr Katju’s view on that?

b). Because, sanjay dutt has already been to jail (18 months) for an offence where 5 to 10 years is minimum and maximum punishment, he deserve a pardon. What argument is this?

c). Because sanjay dutt has got married twice or thrice ( I don’t know how many times) and he is father of 2-3 children, he deserve pardon. May I say Mr katju that there must have been hundreds of single bread earner of a family who are in jails. Should we release them, I mean I don’t know.

d). Sanjay dut has not been held terrorist; hence Mr Katju is seeking pardon. So all those who are not ‘held’ terrorists and found in possession of illegal arms, ammunition should be freed?

e). Because Sanjay Dutt’s parents done good work for society, hence grant pardon to him. This is a very – very dangerous argument & mindset for a democracy. Is sanjay dutt a yuvraj. Has he taken all good deeds done by his parents? What is his own contribution to any societal cause?

May I remind Mr Katju a recent case of economic offence where an India by the name of Rajat Gupta was held guilty. Rajat Gupta has done immense charitable work in contemporary times, does that mean he should be let free of all charges. And interestingly here sanjay dutt’s father has done good work not him. Seeking pardon in these grounds seems to be a monarchist approach, not a democratic.

f). Last one is the most classic, sanjay dutt has characterized mahatma Gandhi, hence grant pardon. I mean as per this argument, all those who play negative character in a 2-3 hours feature film are all destructive in their real life. May I remind Mr Katju that sanjay dutt has also played roles like ‘khalnayak’ and ‘kancha cheena’, what he has to say about that.

This reminds me a movie scene of recently released ‘Jolly LLB’ where judge (saurabh shukla) tells the lawyer (arshad warsi) that this is not a movie’s court. I would like to repeat the same thing to Mr Katju.

If Sanjay Dutt decide go to court and ask for a review of his conviction, may he get the best possible legal recourse, because I have nothing personal against him. I do watch his movies occasionally.

फूलों की घाटी

"काश्मीर जो खुद सूरज के बेटे  की राझ्धानी थी,
डमरू वाले शिव शंकर की जो घाटी कल्याणी थी,
काश्मीर जो भू मंडल का स्वर्ग बताया जाता था,
जिसकी मिटटी को दुनिया में अर्घ चढ़ाया जाता था
काश्मीर जो भारत माता की आँखों का तारा था
लाल बहादुर को जो प्राणों से प्यारा था ,
काश्मीर वो डूब गया है अंधी गहरी खायी में,
फूलों की घाटी रोती है मरघट की तन्हाई में ।
.........
बस नारों में गाते रहिएगा कश्मीर हमारा है,
छूकर तो देखो हिम चोटी के निचे अंगारा है।
............."
हरी ओम पवार

ये कविता मैंने लगभग 10 वर्ष पहले सुनी थी, हरी ओम जी ने तो उससे काफी पहले लिखी होगी। सच में, जिस घाटी को स्वर्ग से भी बढ़कर बताया गया और कहा की अगर धरती पर कहीं स्वर्ग है तो वो यहीं है, उस कश्मीर की ये हालत देखकर बहुत पीड़ा होती है । सच में बहुत दुःख होता है जब किस माँ का बेटा, बहन का भाई, किसी पत्नी का सुहाग इस साजिश का शिकार होता है। सीमा पार से कॉन्ट्रैक्ट किलर आके हमारे सिपाहियों को मार रहे हैं। माना एक सैनिक के लिए शहीद होना गर्व की बात होती होगी, पर हम कब तक इनकी शहादत का इम्तिहान लेते रहेंगे।
क्या सच में कश्मीरी भारत के साथ नहीं रहना चाहते ? क्या उनको पाक अधिकृत काश्मीर की हालत नहीं पता? क्या वो पाकिस्तान के साथ जाना चाहते हैं? क्या कश्मीरियों को नहीं पता की वो मुल्क जिसका नाम पाकिस्तान है उसकी हालत क्या है, फिर भी उन्हें पाकिस्तान के साथ जाना है तो मुझे समझ नहीं आता, की क्यों?
कश्मीरी अपना अलग आज़ाद देश बनाना चाहते हैं, सच में .....और अभी के हालात में ऐसा कभी हो भी पायेगा। और उससे भी बड़ी बात की जिस तरह जे & के को स्पेशल राज्य का दर्जा मिला हुआ है, और वहां के बजट का लगभग 50% भारत सरकार देती है कश्मीर का एक अलग देश बनकर क्या मिल जाएगा समझ नहीं आता।
मैं तो एक सीधा प्रशन खडा करना चाहता हूँ , हमने पिछले 30 वर्षों में कश्मीर को हमने किस नजरिये से देखा, क्या सच में हमने कभी ये चाहा की कश्मीर समस्या का कोई हल निकले। इस मुल्क ने कश्मीर के साथ कहीं सौतेला व्यहार तो नहीं किया,,,,.।
ऐसा आखिर क्या है की शान्ति, घाटी से डरती है, ऐसा क्यूँ है की आये दिन वहां की नौजवान अपनी जान दे रहे हैं ,,....

मुझे ऐसे सभी सवालों का केवल एक ही जवाब नज़र आता है की भारत ने कभी भी कोई ऐसी पहल नहीं की जिससे ये लगे की हम किसी समाधान की और बढ़ रहे हैं। एक बहुत सीधी सी बात है, जो गुट कश्मिर को भारत से अलग करना चाहते हैं और उस के लिए किसी भी हद तक जाते हैं वैसे लोगों से 'बातचीत' करना क्या एक मज़ाक नहीं है, लोगो को मुर्ख बनाना नहीं है?

हमारा पडोसी मुल्क जिसने 48 से लेके आज तक कश्मीर में हिंसा फैलायी है। उस मुल्क को हमने हर युद्ध में हराया फिर भी कश्मीर पे उस के रुख में कोई बदलाव नहीं, ऐसा मुल्क वर्तमान की कश्मीर समस्या का सबसे बड़ा दोषी है, उस मुल्क के साथ हमारे कैसे सम्बन्ध हों ये आज तक हम तय नहीं कर पाए हैं।
हद है, इतनी कोशिशें, इतनी कमिटियाँ, और ना जाने क्या-2 पर कश्मीर पिछले 30 से भी ज्यादा वर्षों से यु हि जल रहा है, और ना जाने कब तक जलता रहेगा। मुझे लगता नहीं है जो हालात अभी वहां के है , की कुछ होने वाला है। बस कुछ दिनों की ख़ामोशी और फिर वही धमाके, बंद करो ये सब। और शुरू करो एक सची सार्थक पहल अन्यथा "....बस नारों में गाते रहिएगा कश्मीर हमारा है, छूकर तो देखो हिम चोटी के निचे अंगारा है।....." 

Belated Happy Republic Day !

Last week we celebrated 64th Republic Day. I was wondering through out this week that what was so new about this 'Republic Day', in fact we have been doing this exercise for last six odd decades, I mean what is so new about this time?
Like any other Indian I obviously felt proud to see our military, cultural, historic, democratic heritage and achievement on Rajpath. But that was just momentary, because this is the same Rajpath which a month back was closed for citizens, it is the same Rajpath where citizens of this Republic were beaten up for holding a demonstration to enact strong laws for rape and other sexual assault on women.

We have 'showcased' a missile which could strike at targets ranging from 3500 to around 5000 Kilometers, sounds great but for me that hardly matters because I suspect if in my lifetime I could see the utility of that missile. What I see day in day out is humiliation by our neighbor. How can I forget that one of my our soldier's head was beheaded by them. What did we do? Nothing, absolutely nothing. If a nation doesn't feel agitated when its solder's body comes home without head, do you expect such nation to ever use a missile. Absolutely not, never. I just don't understand what is the use of showing Agni's almighty on this road of concrete.

Thats about military, now tell me what cultural heritage we are proud of ? For the sake of vote bank politics, and appeasement on the basis of religion and caste our entire socio-cultural fabric has been put at risk of collapse.

I would say that democracy is at his worst in this country, we can only compete with Pakistan or some countries in Africa. Our political parties actually don't understand what democracy is all about. Infact, allmost all national/regional parties are like family run businesses. Electoral process as rightly described by Anna Hazare ji is trapped in the vicious cycle of  'satta se paisa aur paise se satta'.

After more than six decades of becoming a Republic, we dont have a strong and more importantly independent anti-corruption agency. Police reforms are being delayed for so many years. Cases pending before judiciary are around 3 crores or probably more than that, where is the philosophy of 'justice delayed is justice denied' has gone?

Education and health system are inefficient, inapt and overcrowded. If we look at some of our health indicators, neighboring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh may perform better than us.
We are a nation of 125 crore people, guess what was our medal tally in Olympics? There are heads of our sports bodies who are leading sports federations and association un-successfully for 2-3 decades and there is zero accountability. Height !

There are successive governments ruling states and country for more than one term, if you tell me one single government which've got a vision for say 2020 or for 2030 I 'll be glad. We don't think for that long, all our actions are reactive rather than proactive.

List is endless but tell me one more thing, what is this concept of calling this country 'India' in English and 'Bharat' in Hindi, What should it be called in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kashmiri, Marathi, Assamese etc. Stop this non sense.

Tell me one thing on which I should feel proud of, until then I am not proud of being an Indian and once again A very happy (belated) republic day!

Letter written to Supreme Court

From:	Yogesh Yadav (…..@outlook.com)
Sent:	21 December 2012 09:07AM
To:	supremecourt@nic.in (supremecourt@nic.in)

Dear Sir,

I understand that as per the constitutional mandate given to honourable court, there are certain matters which may not come under its direct purview. It is highly possible that in these matters legislature would frame and amend laws as and when the need arises. But the issue of rape, in my limited knowledge is related to women’s life and dignity hence directly affects their Right against exploitation. 

With so much debate and null result, steps taken by legislature and bureaucracy to handle rape cases don’t seems to be apt as they all are reactive and for a specific place, time, event etc.  If find well within its constitutional mandate and with due consultation with all stakeholders, honourable court may frame certain guidelines to be followed, so that timely and appropriate justice can be done in these cases. 

Still if this matter doesn’t belong to court’s consideration, I apologize for taking away honourable court’s precious time.

Thanks & Regards,

Yogesh

---

From: …..@outlook.com
To: supremecourt@nic.in
Subject: Subject: Judicial process for rape victims
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2012 23:58:49 +0530

To

The Registrar,

Supreme Court of India,

New Delhi-110 001

Subject: Judicial process for rape victims

Honourable Sir,

                I would like to bring to your kind notice an issue which is much debated in public and legislative domain. A recent unfortunate and inhumane incident of 16^th December where a 23 year old girl was raped and brutally beaten up with her male friend in a moving bus has prompted me to write this letter to you. As I said this issue of punishing culprits in these kinds of heinous crimes has already been discussed and debated so much, hence it is now a high time that we finally decide and prepare guidelines to be followed for the entire investigation and justice system in rape cases across India.

Last year’s (National Crime Records Bureau - 2011) figures about rape cases are shocking; registered cases in Delhi were around 568 which factually mean three females are raped in every two days. Madhya Pradesh reported more than 15,000 rape cases, I am sure there were many unreported cases as well. I am not a law student but someone who is at the bottom of the social pyramid and feel agitated when after 65 years of independence we have not been able to create a system of fast track courts to give justice to the victims of a crime which is even harsher than murder.

My humble request to the honorable court is to kindly pay attention and intervene in this matter on the same lines the honourable court intervene in matters related to environment, dalits, tribals etc. It would set the ball rolling if honourable court asks for opinions from central government, human rights commission and other stakeholders regarding the punishment and time frame to complete the investigation and trials in such cases.

While I am writing this letter, National Human Rights Commission has already issued notices to Union Home Secretary and the Delhi Police Commissioner regarding 16^th December case, but my concern is about the ecosystem prevailing about the women security and justice system in rape cases.

I am sure a stringent punishment and time bound disposal of cases would act as a deterrent to criminals, resulting in decrease of such offences.

Kindly look into the matter if falls under the purview of honourable Supreme Court.

Yours faithfully                                                                                 

Yogesh Yadav                                                                                                                                    

A copy of this email will be sent by Registered Post

सड़कों पर आओ

घड़ीयाली आसूँ मत बहाओ, आप भी हम लोगों के साथ सड़कों पर आओ|
एक तरफ कहा कि बहुत आहत हूँ इस घटना से और दूसरी तरफ़,
पुलिस वालों से आसूँ गैस के गोले और लाठीया बरसवाओ|
ये नाटक बंद करो मैडम ये पब्लिक सब जानती है,
इसीलिये, प्रधानमंत्री निवास, राष्ट्रपति आवास, पार्टी द़फ्तर
के सामने आके बार-2 हिसाब मांगति है |

लेकिन आप सबने तो आपने-2 घरों पे पुलिसिया पहरा बैठाया है,
आपको क्या फर्क पड़ने लगा कि पाँच साल से पहले आपके दरवाजे कौन आया है |

वह लड़की जो कल आयी थी मिलने, वह आज फिर बैठी है,
शर्म करो, अपने घरों के दरवाजे खोलो, मिलो हम लोगों से,
और जानने कि कम से कम कोशिश तो करो कि ऐसा क्या हुआ कि,
जिसने तुम्हे अपना 'नेता' चुना आज वही जनता तुमसे इतनी रूठी है |

यूनान मिस्र रोम सब मिट गए जहाँ से, मुझे लगता है अब मिटने कि हमारी बारि है,
क्योंकि यहाँ खुले आम बेखौफ, घूम रहे बलात्कारी और भ्रष्ट-आचरी हैं |