A crime is a crime irrespective of the birth marks of the criminal

Published By : Admin | January 15, 2014 | 18:14 IST
Quote"“A crime is a crime irrespective of the birth marks of the criminal”: Shri Narendra Modi writes to PM and seeks intervention on Home Minister’s views on wrongful arrests of minority youths"
Quote"Narendra Modi writes a letter to PM, urging him to intervene and take necessary action against statement of the Home Minister on arrest of people from minority community"
Quote"Shri Narendra Modi condemns the Home Minister’s statement saying it could give out a wrong message about the country’s criminal justice system, and have a demoralizing effect on the entire law enforcement machinery"
Quote"Shri Modi suggested that the Home Minister should find a solution within the constitutional framework"
Quote"Home Minister’s suggestion unprecedented and a new low for the country. Principles at stake are far too valuable to be sacrificed at the altar of political expediency: Narendra Modi"

In a letter to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on 15th January, 2014, Shri Narendra Modi took a tough stance on Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s statement of wrongful arrests of minority youth, and strongly condemned his statement which could give out a wrong message about the country’s criminal justice system, while also having a demoralizing effect on the entire law enforcement machinery.

The Home Minister had earlier written – “Strict and prompt action against erring police officers should be taken where there is malafide arrest of any member of minority community, wrongfully arrested person should not one be released immediately but they should also be suitable compensated and rehabilitated to join the mainstream.”

Shri Modi attributed the Home Minister’s concern as a brazen and callous attempt to woo the minority community and that even the minority community will raise questions on the timing of such stetements. He further stated that the police and public order were state subjects with investigation being an integral part of it, and so, any wrongful and malafide arrest of a citizen, irrespective of his caste or community, should get the same redressal.

Condemning the Home Minister’s suggestion of setting up review or screening committees to assess the role of minority youths languishing in jails on terror charges without trial, Shri Modi urged the PM to intervene and advise the Home Minister not to direct his attention to only the minorities. He added that the Home Minister’s suggestion was against the constitutional principles and hit the ‘right to equality before law’. Shri Modi stated that a crime is a crime irrespective of the birth marks of the criminal, and that his religious beliefs could not determine the guilt or innocence.

Shri Modi also added that the proposed directive of setting up review committees was against the provision of criminal law, which does not provide for any review committee for withdrawal of pending cases where charge sheets have been filed. “One cannot rule out the possibility of the trials getting delayed due to such illegal action on the part of the State if the Courts were to find fault with such interventions made on extraneous considerations. If this were to happen, undertrial prisoners will end up being under incarceration for longer periods; thus achieving exactly the opposite of the purported objective,” wrote Shri Modi.

Shri Modi suggested that the Home Minister should find a solution within the constitutional framework, while mentioning that an acceptable solution would be to fast track all terror cases. He said that this would have the benefit of convicting and punishing the real perpetrators of terrorism while acquitting the innocent people in a timeframe. Shri Modi added that this approach would strengthen our fight against terror and take care of genuine cases of wrongful arrests, while also ensuring “Justice to all, Appeasement to none”.

Shri Modi also stated that the Home Minister should, instead, focus on monitoring the terror cases being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). “It would be interesting to know how many innocent youth are found to be wrongly implicated in these cases. I hope the Home Minister understands that every case of acquittal need not be a case of wrongful arrest and false/malafide implication,” Shri Modi mentioned in the letter. 

Shri Modi said that the Home Minister’s public statement, without the backing of reliable data, was highly undesirable. Stating Article 44 of the Constitution, which mentions, ‘The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India’, Shri Modi said that we had not made much headway in having a common civil code. However, he spoke highly of the existing common criminal procedure code that did not take into account the faith or religion of an accused.

Shri Modi strongly voiced his displeasure by saying that the Home Minister’s suggestion was unprecedented and marked a new low for the country, while adding that the principles at stake were far too valuable to be sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.

 Shri Modi urged the PM to intervene and take necessary action as deemed appropriate.

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Text of PM’s interaction with the students and train loco pilots during the ride in NAMO Bharat Train from Sahibabad RRTS Station to New Ashok Nagar RRTS Station
January 05, 2025
QuoteThe amazing talent of my young friends filled me with new energy: PM

Prime Minister: So, you are an artist as well?

Student: Sir, this is your poem.

Prime Minister: Ah, so you’ll recite my poem?

Student:

"अपने मन में एक लक्ष्य लिए, मंज़िल अपनी प्रत्यक्ष लिए

हम तोड़ रहे हैं जंजीरें, हम बदल रहे हैं तकदीरें

ये नवयुग है, ये नव भारत, हम खुद लिखेंगे अपनी तकदीर

हम बदल रहे हैं तस्वीर, खुद लिखेंगे अपनी तकदीर

हम निकल पड़े हैं प्रण करके, तन-मन अपना अर्पण करके

जिद है, जिद है एक सूर्य उगाना है, अम्बर से ऊँचा जाना है

एक भारत नया बनाना है, अम्बर से ऊँचा जाना है, एक भारत नया बनाना है।"

(With a goal in mind, with the destination in sight,
We are breaking chains, we are changing destinies.
This is a new era, this is a new India, we will write our own destiny.
We are changing the image, we will write our own destiny.
We have set out with a pledge, having dedicated our body and mind.
I am determined, I am determined to start a new beginning,
I must go higher than the sky.
We have to build a new India,
We must rise above the sky,
We have to build a new India).

Prime Minister: Wow.

Prime Minister: What is your name?

Student: (Not clear.)

|

Prime Minister: Great! So, did you get your house? Progress is being made with the new house—well done!

Student: (Not clear.)

Prime Minister: Wow, that’s great.

Prime Minister: UPI…

Student: Yes, Sir. Today, every home has UPI because of you.

Prime Minister: Do you make this yourself?

Student: Yes.

|

Prime Minister: What is your name?

Student: Aarna Chauhan.

Prime Minister: Yes.

Student: I also wish to recite a poem for you.

Prime Minister: I would love for you to recite a poem. Please go ahead.

Student: "नरेन्द्र मोदी एक नाम है, जो मीत का नई उड़ान है,

आप लगे हो देश को उड़ाने के लिए, हम भी आपके साथ हैं देश को बढ़ाने के लिए।"

(Narendra Modi is a name, a new horizon for my friend.
While you strive to elevate the country,
We stand with you to contribute to its growth).

Prime Minister: Well done.

|

Prime Minister: Have you all completed your training?

Metro Loco Pilot: Yes, Sir.

Prime Minister: Are you managing well?

Metro Loco Pilot: Yes, Sir.

Prime Minister: Are you satisfied with this work?

Metro Loco Pilot: Yes, Sir. Sir, we are India's first (unclear)... We are immensely proud of it. We feel very good, Sir.

Prime Minister: You all must need to focus a lot; there’s probably no time for casual chit-chatting?

Metro Loco Pilot: No, Sir, we don’t have time for anything like that... (unclear) nothing of that sort happens.

Prime Minister: Nothing happens?

Metro Loco Pilot: Yes, Sir.

|

Prime Minister: Alright, best wishes to all of you.

Metro Loco Pilot: Thank you, Sir.

Metro Loco Pilot: We are all very happy to have met you, Sir.