Diplomatic signal
If the Delhi police have removed barricades around the British High Commission in what is perceived to be a tit-for-tat move after the vandalism of the Indian High Commission in London, it is only a reflection of the failure of Indian diplomacy and shows the country in a bad light. The British government should have acted more carefully but for India to send out this signal could cause a chill.
Thacius S. Fernando,
Chennai
Method of execution
The effort of the Supreme Court of India to explore an alternative to execution by hanging is to be appreciated. At the same time, it must be said that the more painless the execution, there could be less of a deterrent to commit heinous crime. The severity of the pain is what may keep people away from committing such crimes.
K.G. Balachandran,
Edappally, Ernakulam, Kerala
All methods to carry out the death penalty are barbaric. The executed do not come back to reveal the extent of pain suffered. When the exercise is akin to slaughtering, where is the question of dignity except that it is carried out as punishment within legal provisions. Even among the pronounced judgments for death penalties, very few are implemented in this land, which shows that courts value lenience. Who knows what greater deterrence on crimes there would be once the maximum penalty is done away with?
Sanath Kumar T.S.,
Thrissur, Kerala
Travel on ECR
I am visiting Puducherry for a few weeks, having arrived from Paris on March 20. I wish to recount my road travel experience on one of Chennai/Tamil Nadu’s top roads, the East Coast Road. I left Chennai airport in a taxi for Puducherry and was shocked at the state of this highway. It was a bone-rattling, neck pain-causing ride, with my taxi driver having to swerve many times to avoid potholes and craters. The condition of what is a trunk road has left me very surprised.
Mathéo Matisse,
Puducherry
