Play the cards right

Sir — The Bharatiya Janata Party may be piqued at the president’s decision to sack the governors of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana and Goa. But it cannot be naïve enough not to know that its cries of “gross constitutional impropriety” are far-fetched (“War drums sound on governor sack”, July 3). The former law minister, Arun Jaitley, believes that the sack violates the Constitution, which prescribes the tenure of the governor to be five years. Jaitley should know that Article 156 (3) of the Constitution, which lays down this provision, is subject to Article 156 (1). The latter clearly states that the governor of an Indian state will hold office at the pleasure of the president. Besides, can Jaitley deny that some of the governors in question have been known to display partisan behaviour at the behest of the BJP or that the party itself hasn’t sent governors packing during its tenure? Perhaps the party should concentrate on playing the “tainted ministers” card instead of taking up the cudgels for the fired governors.

Yours faithfully,
Neelanjan Das, Calcutta

In the end

Sir — I fail to understand why 30 years should be considered too tender an age to be given capital punishment (“Age gives Bapi killer benefit of life”, July 2). Dhananjoy Chatterjee committed his crime around the same age and was given a death sentence. If Bapi Sen’s killers are considered to be “young”, they should have perhaps been sent to the juvenile court. But if men are old enough to vote, marry and join the police force, they also deserve to be given the severest punishment for a crime as brutal as the one committed against Sen.

Yours faithfully,
Sujit De, Sodepur

Sir — Bapi Sen seems to have got justice. But what needs to be kept in mind is that the incident took place in Calcutta and was taken up by the media in all earnest. The administration and the chief minister too prompted serious action. However, similar incidents also take place outside Calcutta, especially in remote areas where the victims do not dare to lodge a complaint for the fear of harassment by the police who are sometimes complicit in the crime. The police today are a politicized lot. Which is why despite pleas from the chief minister and the police top brass, people are not forthcoming when it comes to reporting police inaction.

Yours faithfully,
Sudarsan Nandi, Rangamati

Sir — The life sentence for the five policemen convicted of murdering Bapi Sen was expected. What remains unresolved is the mystery surrounding the woman for whom Bapi Sen had risked his life. The “social stigma” theory advanced by psychiatrists for the woman’s unwillingness to come forward to testify in the case does not hold much water. Whatever the reason for her “disappearance”, I have an apprehension that the defence will use this fact to prove in the appeals court that the woman did not exist at all. And if this is accepted, there is every possibility that the life sentence will be reduced and worse, the conviction may even be set aside. By disappearing, the woman has only strengthened the defence’s case and done irreparable harm to society.

Yours faithfully,
Tapan Das Gupta, Calcutta

Sir — Those who cry out for the hanging of Dhananjoy Chatterjee are strangely silent over the punishment of the constables who killed Bapi Sen. The dual attitude is amazing. Yet the crime committed by the policemen is even more heinous than Dhananjoy’s. When lawkeepers themselves become killers, people like Dhananjoy are forced to believe that they can escape capital punishment. The verdict against the policemen does not do justice to Sen.

Yours faithfully,
Zaki Mubarki, Calcutta

Sir — By killing Bapi Sen, the five constables also shattered his family. Sen’s widow, Soma, is still in search of a decent job, the future of his two sons is uncertain, and his parents have become victims of acute depression. Sen was not only a good worker, but a conscientious citizen who helped others. Yet the court decided to refrain from awarding the death sentence to his killers. But is the crime of the constables any less than that of Dhananjoy Chatterjee? Is the murder of an adult any less heinous than that of a teenage girl? The five accused have reportedly pleaded for being let off on personal grounds — ailing parents, helpless wives and young children. But did they not think about the same when they were killing Sen mercilessly?

Yours faithfully,
Kajal Chatterjee, Sodepur

Sir — Calcutta has been waiting for a long time to settle two scores — with Bapi Sen’s murderers and the rapist of Hetal Parekh, Dhananjoy Chatterjee. The sentence of life imprisonment in the first case has given Calcuttans some peace of mind. Though the pain felt by Sen’s family members was apparent from the statements of his wife and mother, the relief the judgment has brought to them is palpable. Dhananjoy should also get the punishment that is his due, and justice be done to the Parekhs.

Yours faithfully,
Purnima Vasudeva, Calcutta

Cross-currents

Sir — I would like to point out that the article on the Calcutta regatta had misreported a few things (“All in the same boat”, June 19). S.R. Kalidas was only a member of the Indian rowing contingent in the 1982 Asian Games and not a gold medallist. The admission fee for membership as a rowing trainee at the Calcutta Rowing Club is Rs 300 and not Rs 25,000 as mentioned. And the monthly fee is Rs 50.

Yours faithfully,
S.R. Kalidas, coach, Calcutta Rowing Club, Calcutta