Let the court decide …
I put the earlier post up on my blog because several people told me they could not read the post on Shumaila's website that I had quoted on Facebook and Twitter. I am glad that many people have now read it … and also the letter by the girl in response that Amima posted. I think more people should read ALL the stories. Question them. Have views. Not be abusive. Write about what they think. But wait before the court's decision …
As far as I am concerned, I am neither for nor against the girl — I made sure never to mention her name anywhere on Twitter. I know it because of having seen her at ThinkFest.
Tarun (even though I do know him) has to accept what the court decides after looking at all evidence. I don't think I, or anyone, has the right to pre-judge it, but people do. Again, I do not criticise them. That's their choice, I guess.
The Indian Media has gone haywire, just like the Pak media does. I hope they'll show the decency of not bringing his wife or his kids into this and writing articles. Yes, that I very certainly hope, as I would for my daughter in case I was being criticised.
A 'once-friend', which is how she'd now prefer to be known, has been overly critical of me for defending Tarun. I have done nothing but to retweet links that show that he must be given a fair trial, that the CCTV footage must be shown. There are enough media links favouring the girl, which maybe fine, but I think someone should get this out as a message, too. Whether it is bad for Tarun, I don't know. Both sides MUST be heard is what I want!!!
Sadly I am not too happy with most of the Indian Media which, at times, is worse than our own — and that's really something! Their bizarre handling of this is understandable: It sells papers/airtime. But its not the best way to approach this, in my opinion.
The BJP's extra-ordinary pressure was also disgusting, including Jolly's actions at Shoma's house. I haven't seen any Congress members come to the fore, but if they do, I'd hate that, too. Let the court decide!
I have been asked in email about what I would do if Tarun were my son. Nothing. I may be have been very fond of him, even cry at what has happened, but I'd have to let the law take its proper course and find out if he is true or not. Whether it is rape, molestation, murder, whatever. That's how I feel.
I have been asked by a chap (and again by the once-friend) on Twitter, who told me that I should not respond to her so I didn't, what would be my view if the girl were my daughter? Again, I'd hope the case was right and be helpful in all ways … but the final verdict would come from the court. Not me.
This is why we have courts. Personal emotions, however sad, cannot over-ride the court's finding — except through going to another court and so on. In the case of Talwars who have been given a Life Sentence in India (though there is little to say that they were guilty, since no evidence was found) there are several people who feel that they should appeal against the verdict. This is AFTER the court has made its decision, which I am in agreement with, too.
Finally, the once-friend says I 'censored' the girl's mailed response. I didn't. Someone called Amima posted it as a comment. If she did, one will have to ask her why.
As far as I am concerned, I am neither for nor against the girl — I made sure never to mention her name anywhere on Twitter. I know it because of having seen her at ThinkFest.
Tarun (even though I do know him) has to accept what the court decides after looking at all evidence. I don't think I, or anyone, has the right to pre-judge it, but people do. Again, I do not criticise them. That's their choice, I guess.
The Indian Media has gone haywire, just like the Pak media does. I hope they'll show the decency of not bringing his wife or his kids into this and writing articles. Yes, that I very certainly hope, as I would for my daughter in case I was being criticised.
A 'once-friend', which is how she'd now prefer to be known, has been overly critical of me for defending Tarun. I have done nothing but to retweet links that show that he must be given a fair trial, that the CCTV footage must be shown. There are enough media links favouring the girl, which maybe fine, but I think someone should get this out as a message, too. Whether it is bad for Tarun, I don't know. Both sides MUST be heard is what I want!!!
Sadly I am not too happy with most of the Indian Media which, at times, is worse than our own — and that's really something! Their bizarre handling of this is understandable: It sells papers/airtime. But its not the best way to approach this, in my opinion.
The BJP's extra-ordinary pressure was also disgusting, including Jolly's actions at Shoma's house. I haven't seen any Congress members come to the fore, but if they do, I'd hate that, too. Let the court decide!
I have been asked in email about what I would do if Tarun were my son. Nothing. I may be have been very fond of him, even cry at what has happened, but I'd have to let the law take its proper course and find out if he is true or not. Whether it is rape, molestation, murder, whatever. That's how I feel.
I have been asked by a chap (and again by the once-friend) on Twitter, who told me that I should not respond to her so I didn't, what would be my view if the girl were my daughter? Again, I'd hope the case was right and be helpful in all ways … but the final verdict would come from the court. Not me.
This is why we have courts. Personal emotions, however sad, cannot over-ride the court's finding — except through going to another court and so on. In the case of Talwars who have been given a Life Sentence in India (though there is little to say that they were guilty, since no evidence was found) there are several people who feel that they should appeal against the verdict. This is AFTER the court has made its decision, which I am in agreement with, too.
Finally, the once-friend says I 'censored' the girl's mailed response. I didn't. Someone called Amima posted it as a comment. If she did, one will have to ask her why.
•••••
Saturday 30th November. Shumaila asked me questions on the Facebook and I responded to all of them. Somehow (?) the responses got deleted … Shit! Here they are again, in the Comments spot, though not exactly as I had written them as I have no record of the originals. But the gist is the same.
Do read.
Labels: Activism, Bloggers, Education, Environment, Events, Media, News, People, Politics, Rant, Tehelka, Twitter
posted by Zakintosh at 11/29/2013 04:34:00 PM
2 Comments:
Shumaila Kafeel Siddiqui: I think the problem most of the people have with your response/position is that not once have you condemned Tarun's action openly. Seems to many that either you don't think what he did was wrong or, you don't want to condemn him 'cse you are on his side. Now this may be because you think it was consensual or that as you say in your blog you know the girl, but ZAK what is this ''let the court decide'' approach? Do you condemn Tarun or not? Do you condemn the girl's violation from the point where she said No even if it was consensual to begin with? Could you have taken the same, ''let the court decide'' approach for say, Salman's Taseer's murder case? then why here?
19 hours ago · Like · 1
Shumaila Kafeel Siddiqui: In this case too, the accused has confessed the occurrence of the act (misjudgement he calls it, alright!) and so his confession is evidence. All the rest is legal battle and not for us to decide. But we can take a moral position and condemn him if not for his lust atleast for the excess, no?
19 hours ago · Like · 2
Shumaila Kafeel Siddiqui: thats the problem ZAK, you are waiting for the ''full story'' (though I don't know why) and thats why I brought in Salman Taseer or Malala for that matter.I am sure you wouldn't wait for the full story in those cases...I mean, could you have waited to know the full story behind Taseer's murder which is no less a Shakesperean tradegy, or would you wait to know the complete story behind Malala's attack?
18 hours ago · Edited · Like · 2
Shumaila Kafeel Siddiqui: I don't know ...thats for you to ask yourself
18 hours ago · Like
Moneeza Ahmed: So I am usually always on the side of the victim- even before a court ruling in cases has been made... particularly because, I do feel that the media, (and how they report it)- and the law on how it handles it,( including delays, suspicions around the women leading the man, what she was wearing etc) on'especially in south asia can be discriminatory against the woman.
45 minutes ago · Like
Moneeza Ahmed: In this instance, however I do agree with Zak, that we should follow the case, and wait for the court, before we start with a anti Tarun campaign in such a massive way. The reason I think the media has gone hay wire with it is because, its nice to discredit Tejpal and actually Tehelka- an indie, anti establishment type of magazine. I am not a Tejpal or Tehelka lover, even though I have appreciated their investigative pieces in the past. I however do think that ensuring that the women gets justice,proper counsel, non misogynistic treatment in the media is what we should fight for rather than spend all our time in villifying one man, without knowing whether he has done it or not.
40 minutes ago · Unlike · 1
30 November, 2013 13:12
Zaheer Kidvai > Shumaila Kafeel Siddiqui: I wrote answers to all your questions earlier and don't understand how they got deleted. Maybe they will turn up again. I'll answer them again this time keeping all questions in view.
1. If you have read my blogposts I have said that after the court decides, we should accept their decision. If the court decides that he is guilty then he is guilty. My insistence has been this from the beginning: here, on my blog, and on Twitter.
2. In Salman Taseer's murder there were witnesses, lots of them, AND the murderer admitted there and to the police that he had killed him. So let the court decide was not a requirement anymore.
3. In Malala's case there were witnesses, too, and the Taliban also said they did it. Waiting for the court to decide is no longer required there, either.
4. If this makes me side Tarun in your opinion, that's YOUR opinion and that of MANY who want him in jail (some even want his family to be hanged!). That's fine, too. If the court decides, he'll have to go to jail. Whether my view is bad or wrong is not what I think it is. I think the public's view is pretty wrong, too. Not the feminists view at all - for many say he is guilty while a few seem to 'favour' him - but the view of those who want Tehelka closed because Election Time is here.
5. In my opinion my wanting the WHOLE story heard by the court is justifiable, whether I know Tarun or not. Also the girl's story MUST be heard. I hope the court, despite it's 'supposed' BJP stance, will do what a good court does and react to whatever is true.
30 November, 2013 13:13
Post a Comment
<< Home