Think it over Crime and punishment
March 31, 2023
  • Circulation
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Organiser
  • ‌
  • Bharat
  • World
  • G20
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • More
    • Defence
    • RSS in News
    • Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
    • My States
    • Vocal4Local
    • Business
    • Special Report
    • Culture
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • Education
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Obituary
SUBSCRIBE
No Result
View All Result
  • ‌
  • Bharat
  • World
  • G20
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • More
    • Defence
    • RSS in News
    • Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
    • My States
    • Vocal4Local
    • Business
    • Special Report
    • Culture
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • Education
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Obituary
No Result
View All Result
Organiser
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • G20
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Culture
  • Defence
  • RSS in News
  • My States
  • Vocal4Local
  • Subscribe
Home General

Think it over Crime and punishment

Archive Manager by WEB DESK
May 22, 2005, 12:00 am IST
in General
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterTelegramEmail

b>
By M.S.N. Menon

These are days of confessions and regrets-regrets for past crimes committed against humanity. The latest to confess is the Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Moizumi.

It was Ashoka who set the noble example. He was so overwhelmed with remorse for what he did to the people of Kalinga during his war against them that he not only took to Buddhism and ahimsa (non-violence), but also expressed his remorse in a rock edict so that it would remain a reminder to his people till eternity. The rock edict says: ?It (the conquest) is a matter of profound sorrow and regret for his sacred majesty.?

I am not aware of another person in history who has expressed such remorse for the crimes he had committed. Not even Mohammed, the warrior Prophet of Islam, who is said to be the ?the mercy of the world?. After the battle of Badr against the Meccans, he did not forgive his enemies. He meted out exemplary punishment. He never regretted it.

Why? Because the ethical development of mankind has been taking place at a very slow pace. Indeed, only the Jews had some sense of ethics in the western hemisphere, not even the Greeks and the Romans. As for the Arabs, they had no sense of ethics before Mohammed. India was ahead of most others by about 3,000 years in its moral perceptions.

Thus, while Jesus calls upon God to forgive the Jews and Romans for what they did to him, Mohammed, even after six centuries, saw no need to forgive the Meccans who rejected him. He chose to chastise them.

Which is why the history of men is replete with horrendous stories of man'sinhumanity to man. Obviously, they were not shocked by the cruelty and barbarity they committed.

But why should we remind ourselves of crimes of the past? For three good reasons: because man is still close to animal life and can revert to it (remember the Nazis killed three million Jews in the gas chambers); because every generation must know what their ancestors had done; and because men should not repeat the crimes of their ancestors. (Let us not forget that the Bamiyan Buddhas were destroyed not long ago.) Which is why there should be no prettification of Indian history to present the Muslim period in a better light. The warts and all must come out in history. It is only the truth that can wash the stained and scared minds clean.

Shri Bashiruddin, former Vice Chancellor of Dr Ambedkar Open University, writes: ?Though the present generation of Muslims is not responsible for what has been done centuries ago, and awareness of such a legacy can sensitise the opinion leaders of Muslims?.? Precisely. Instead, we try to draw a veil over our past to appease the Muslims!

These are not the only reasons why we should know more on these past crimes of peoples. There is another-a very important one. To make a judgement on peoples, we should know their past.

To illustrate, today the Roman Catholic Church has under it more than a billion Catholics. Can the humanity trust the papacy to adhere to the message of Christ? It cannot. Why? Because of its past performance. We know the record of the Christian Church-how it suppressed dissent for a thousand years, how it played a major role in the Crusades and in promoting the slave trade of Africans, the genocide of the Red Indians, the Inquisition, apartheid, imperialism and colonialism, the Jewish holocaust and so on. With this kind of background, can the destiny of mankind be entrusted to the Church? No. Not a wise thing to do.

Similarly, without a good knowledge of the history of Islam during the eight centuries it was the dominant power in the world, from Spain to Indonesia, we cannot make a judgement on how it will behave in the future. Today Islam is again in a state of frenzy. It is threatening to revive Jehad. It is already engaged in terrorism. Do we know why they do this? Most of us have no idea. Why? Because most of the political parties in this country are in favour of drawing a veil over Muslim history if only to win Muslim votes. But in doing so, they are being traitors to this nation.

Now think of it: Do not the Shias still remember how the line of Ali was eliminated? Does not China remember the Opium Trade thrust on it? Does not Japan remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki? And the Russians have been religiously marking the victory over Hitler and the Nazis.

It is a pity that our academics are no match to the political poltroons who dominate over our country today.

ShareTweetSendShareSend
Previous News

A page from History The saga of Vikramaditya Hemraj

Next News

Kids Life Story of a Grain

Related News

Setting the Record Straight: Exposing anti-India propaganda in Geneva

Setting the Record Straight: Exposing anti-India propaganda in Geneva

Indian Railways achieves 100 per cent electrification of rail network in Haryana; PM Modi extend wishes

Indian Railways achieves 100 per cent electrification of rail network in Haryana; PM Modi extend wishes

Mamata enhanced OBC list of Muslims, ensured ‘more’ Muslim MLAs making Hindus aggrieved

Vande Bharat Stone Pelting: HC seeks Advocate General’s response on Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Bihar, not Bengal’ statement

Allahabad HC seeks response from Govt on illegal meat shops in Ghaziabad; PIL claims only 17 out of 3000 are licensed

Allahabad HC seeks response from Govt on illegal meat shops in Ghaziabad; PIL claims only 17 out of 3000 are licensed

More than 500 apps blocked over cyber fraud, spoofing concerns: Union Home Minister Amit Shah

More than 500 apps blocked over cyber fraud, spoofing concerns: Union Home Minister Amit Shah

“Give us Narendra Modi’s name and you will be freed,” Amit Shah revealed how CBI under UPA force him to frame Modi

“Give us Narendra Modi’s name and you will be freed,” Amit Shah revealed how CBI under UPA force him to frame Modi

Comments

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Organiser. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.

Latest News

Setting the Record Straight: Exposing anti-India propaganda in Geneva

Setting the Record Straight: Exposing anti-India propaganda in Geneva

Indian Railways achieves 100 per cent electrification of rail network in Haryana; PM Modi extend wishes

Indian Railways achieves 100 per cent electrification of rail network in Haryana; PM Modi extend wishes

Mamata enhanced OBC list of Muslims, ensured ‘more’ Muslim MLAs making Hindus aggrieved

Vande Bharat Stone Pelting: HC seeks Advocate General’s response on Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Bihar, not Bengal’ statement

Allahabad HC seeks response from Govt on illegal meat shops in Ghaziabad; PIL claims only 17 out of 3000 are licensed

Allahabad HC seeks response from Govt on illegal meat shops in Ghaziabad; PIL claims only 17 out of 3000 are licensed

More than 500 apps blocked over cyber fraud, spoofing concerns: Union Home Minister Amit Shah

More than 500 apps blocked over cyber fraud, spoofing concerns: Union Home Minister Amit Shah

“Give us Narendra Modi’s name and you will be freed,” Amit Shah revealed how CBI under UPA force him to frame Modi

“Give us Narendra Modi’s name and you will be freed,” Amit Shah revealed how CBI under UPA force him to frame Modi

MP: Missionary school St Peter’s suspected of conducting conversion activities; found unrecognised during inspection

MP: Missionary school St Peter’s suspected of conducting conversion activities; found unrecognised during inspection

Ram Navami 2023: After Sambhajinagar and Vadodara, Islamists attacked Ram Navami processions in West Bengal’s Howrah

Ram Navami 2023: After Sambhajinagar and Vadodara, Islamists attacked Ram Navami processions in West Bengal’s Howrah

King Prithu’s victory over Bakhtiyar Khalji commemorated: The day when North East was saved from Islamic invasion

King Prithu’s victory over Bakhtiyar Khalji commemorated: The day when North East was saved from Islamic invasion

AFSPA extended for 6 months in Assam, will remain valid in 8 districts; Insurgency reduced 76% in NE in last 8 years

AFSPA extended for 6 months in Assam, will remain valid in 8 districts; Insurgency reduced 76% in NE in last 8 years

  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Cookie Policy
  • Refund and Cancellation
  • Delivery and Shipping

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Defence
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Business
  • RSS in News
  • My States
  • Vocal4Local
  • Special Report
  • Sci & Tech
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Books
  • Interviews
  • Travel
  • Health
  • Obituary
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Circulation
  • Careers
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Refund and Cancellation

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies