CLASS 10 - WRITING SKILLS - EDITORIAL LETTER WRITING

You are Arushi / Aman. You genuinely feel that ‘Capital Punishment’ in no way takes justice to its logical end. Using the information given in the input below, along with your own views, write a letter to the editor of The Times of India advocating for the abolishment of Capital Punishment in India and abroad. Give at least three reasons to prove your point. [word limit: 100-120]

[Hints: legal system – still colonial – practices of blood for blood continue – capital punishment barbaric – state can’t take away the life – aim of punishment reformative – can’t take away right of redemption – life must be saved at all costs.]

Ans:

20, Khwaja Niwas,

Bari Dargah Road,

Ajmer

20th March, 20XX

To,

The Editor

The Times of India

New Delhi

Sub: Abolishing Capital Punishment

Respected Sir/Madam,

The world has made big strides in science and technology. However, the legal system in India has its roots still in the colonial penal codes. Unfortunately, the barbaric practices of ‘blood for blood’ still continue in the form of capital punishment. We still have not come out of the middle ages. Hence, the barbaric practice of awarding the capital punishment still continues in India and some other countries of the world.

If the state can’t grant life to anyone, how can it take away the life of a person? Natural law doesn’t approve of such barbaric and inhuman practices. Secondly, the aim of punishing a person for the crime he has committed is to reform him or her but capital punishment doesn’t leave any scope for reformative chances. Thirdly, birth and death are natural processes and can’t be terminated by the arbitrary will of the state. The state should not take away the right of redemption of an individual by sealing his fate forever. A civilised and humane society must have civilised and human laws. There should be no place for any traces of barbaric practices of the middle ages in the modern world. I hope this message will touch the conscience of thousands through the columns of your esteemed daily.

Yours faithfully,

Arushi/Aman