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Deep Malaise
Moyukh Chatterjee’s article “After the Law: Notes on Gujarat 2002” (EPW, 19 April 2014) makes two most valuable points. One, that “Indian law, jurists, and courts are not equipped to deal with mass violence of the kind witnessed in Delhi 1984, Gujarat 2002, Kandhamal 2008” and two, that there would never be “proofs” and “evidences” to prosecute the faceless mass offenders. Indian experience has shown time and again this harsh reality.
Moyukh Chatterjee’s article “After the Law: Notes on Gujarat 2002” (EPW, 19 April 2014) makes two most valuable points. One, that “Indian law, jurists, and courts are not equipped to deal with mass violence of the kind witnessed in Delhi 1984, Gujarat 2002, Kandhamal 2008” and two, that there would never be “proofs” and “evidences” to prosecute the faceless mass offenders. Indian experience has shown time and again this harsh reality. Exactly the same was highlighted in the film Jolly LLB where the judge (enacted by Saurabh Shukla, who got the 2014 national award as the best supporting actor for this role) says that from day one he knew who the guilty was but he had to wait for “evidence” without which he could not give his judgment. I agree with Chatterjee that the malaise is much deeper and it warrants a larger debate on the functioning of our democracy and its institutions, particularly its justice system.
Partha S Ghosh
NEW DELHI
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