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She openly and plainly told me that the very first time she awarded the death sentence, her hands (while writing the sentence) trembled and she could not sleep for several months. She questioned how she-herself a mother who had changed the diapers of her own children—now with the same hands was writing a death sentence for another human being. She said to me that she had researched the case very thoroughly, read and re-read it at least ten times to make sure that the accused had not been set up and framed by police, by witnesses, and or by others with vested interests. When she was convinced in her own mind that a very heinous crime had been committed, and the accused deserved at least that much or maybe even a more severe sentence, only then did she write that judgment. She has observed the same care and diligence with the underlying consideration of principles of ahimsa in her role as a senior judge. Even though there is some himsa involved here, the action is taken without any malice and in discharging the duties of the State. This is Raajkeeya Himsa.
MINIMIZING HIMSA IN PROFESSIONAL DUTIES
As I mentioned earlier, Mrs. Jain's husband, Mr. Suresh Jain, was a senior level government administrator (IAS) and had been in charge many times to maintain law and order in his area of jurisdiction. I asked him to what level and how he observes ahimsa in the discharge of his duties of his profession. He told me “Sulekh-ji, it has happened to me several times that when the mob is protesting against something, they became unruly all of a sudden and start throwing stones on the police and resort to looting and arson. At that time it is the first and utmost duty of the administrator to restore law and order.” To do that, sometimes, he and his police force had to resort to tear gas, lathi (sticks) charge, beating, and perhaps actual firing to disperse the mob. In such situations, first he gave enough warning to the mob to disperse. Then, he fully instructed his police force not to
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An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide
