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16 Mar, 2016

Terrorism and communal violence must carry same stigma and punishment – Harsh Mander, Hindustan Times

In both popular, social common sense and the ways in which the laws are designed and implemented in India, there is an implied hierarchy of crimes, in which gravest crimes are seen to be those connected with terror and violence, meriting harsh laws, criminal procedures that severely curtail human rights of the accused, and stricter penalties including death. However, communal violence is akin to terror crimes because it is also driven by hate ideologies and target innocent populations with death and destruction. It is remarkable that these do not carry the same censure and disgrace as terror crimes, both in popular morality and in the framing and implementation of the law.

Read the rest: Terrorism and communal violence must carry same stigma and punishment | columns | Hindustan Times