Summary Sharmila Tagore has criticized capital punishment for rape saying death is not ultimate punishment.
NEW DELHI: Sharmila Tagore opposed capital punishment for rape saying death is neither the ultimate punishment nor a deterrent.
"I don t think death the ultimate punishment. It is not a deterrent because when the person is committing the crime, he thinks that he is not going to be caught."
"In southern states of America where death penalty exists there is the highest crime rate there, so it is not really a deterrent. Rigorous imprisonment for entire life is a better way of punishing somebody," said the actress at a literary meet.
Speaking at the discussion on will capital punishment for rape help or hinder justice? , Sharmila felt that the report by the Justice J.S. Verma committee which was constituted following the Delhi gang-rape incident Dec 16 to look into rape laws was "wonderful" and had tried "to engage with the problem".
"At least Justice Verma has touched and tried to engage with the problem, and has heard the hurt, sentiment and the rage with the youth."
"But of course they have stepped back from passion and have covered this in this wonderful report desisting from the death penalty which is taking somebody s life which is coming from the point of thinking that the state must establish an ethical standard of public morality because state cannot take somebody s life," she said.
However, Sharmila also felt the report was silent on issues like the three-month trial period demanded by women rights groups.
Praising the amendments that have been brought about in laws pertaining to women, she said: "They have taken away this cuddly, protectionist language and they are no longer calling it eve teasing or outrage to modesty or any of those awfully inadequate words. So the language is changing and they are calling rape as a rape."
