HURTING OF SENTIMENTS

1. Spontaneous mass uprising like that after Delhi rape is the true sign of hurting of sentiments of people. Most of the other claims are in fact incidents of scheming individuals or groups who, for their ulterior motives, incite and mobilize people by insinuating that there sentiments have been hurt. Unfortunately politicians generally act inefficiently in the first instance and, ironically, they act efficiently in the second instance.

2. Some pertinent questions about ‘hurt sentiments’ that we should ask ourselves—

a. In a secular polity where is the place for changing secular framework of law on the basis of ‘hurting of religious sentiments’?

b. Is making ‘hurt sentiments’ the criteria for framing or amending or implementing law justified? If yes, would it not be like opening Pandora’s box?

c. Truth is said to be bitter, therefore, taking the path of truth will certainly hurt sentiments of some individuals or groups. So, in order not to hurt sentiments of people should truth, entailing justice, be sacrificed?

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