TOPIC OF THE DAY :- “A) The shadow of 1984: Sajjan Kumar’s conviction”
Sajjan Kumar’s Conviction Reignites Hope Of Substantial Justice For Riot Victims
Five years ago, there wasn’t even a sliver of hope that any influential Congress leader would be brought to justice for the anti-Sikh pogrom of 1984. A trial court had acquitted former MP Sajjan Kumar, rejecting thetestimony of witnesses who said he was seen instigating riots in the Raj Nagar area of DelhiCantonment on November 1, 1984, in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination. In reversing the acquittal and sentencing Kumar to imprisonment for the remainder of his life, the Delhi High Court hasreignited hope for substantial justice. The 207-page judgment by a Division Bench, comprising Justice S. Muralidhar and Justice Vinod Goel, is proof, if any were needed, that the Delhi Police and its Riot Cell had failed to carry out a genuine investigation. From the deliberate failure to record any untoward incident in the station’s daily register to avoiding the examination of key witnesses, there is a long trail of evidence that points a damning finger at the police and the state machinery. This case is an example not only of the slowness of judicial processes but also of derailed investigations. It was only after the Central Bureau of Investigation entered the scene and revived this particular case related to the murder of five members of a Sikh family in 2005 — based on a recommendation by the Nanavati Commission — that the investigation made meaningful progress.
The entire CBI case turned on the testimony of Jagdish Kaur, who is described by the High Court as a “fearless and truthful witness”, and its corroboration by two others. Her deposition was sought to beimpeached on the ground that she had not named Sajjan Kumar before the Ranganath Misra Commission. As it turned out, she may actually have done so, in Punjabi; the English version of her statement did not have it. In addition, the court found that Kumar had been named in nearly a dozen affidavits in 1985 itself, but none had been investigated. In one case, a prepared charge sheet had not been filed in court. Such was his influence that in 1990 when the CBI went to arrest him, the officers were held hostage until an anticipatory bail order was obtained, even as their vehicles were burnt by his supporters outside his house. The 73-year-old former strongman may now pin his hopes on an appeal to the Supreme Court, but there is little doubt that judicial decisions such as this reinforce the hope that political patronage, administrative complicityand plain muscle power cannot prevail over the truth all the time. The court has also flagged the need for a separate law for punishment for crimes against humanity and genocide, both seen so far as part of international law but rarely invoked in domestic crimes. Given the major communal flashpoints in recent history that have been cited by the court, the issue is worth positive consideration.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) sliver
Meaning : a small, thin, narrow piece of something cut or split off a larger piece.(n)
Synonyms : shred
Antonyms : whole
Example : “a sliver of cheese”
2) acquitted
Meaning : free (someone) from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty(v).
Synonyms : exonerated
Antonyms : convicted
Example : “she was acquitted on all counts”
3) instigating
Meaning : bring about or initiate (an action or event).(v)
Synonyms : provoking
Antonyms : halting
Example : “they instigated a reign of terror”
4) reignites
Meaning : ignite or cause to ignite again(v).
Example : “oven burners automatically reignite if blown out”
5) aftermath
Meaning : the consequences or after-effects of a significant unpleasant event.(n)
Synonyms : effect
Antonyms : prologue
Example : “food prices soared in the aftermath of the drought”
6) assassination
Meaning : the action of assassinating someone.
Synonyms : execution
Antonyms : birth
Example : “the assassination of President Kennedy”
7) influential
Meaning : having great influence on someone or something.(adj)
Synonyms : powerful
Antonyms : ineffective
Example : “her work is influential in feminist psychology”
8) substantial
Meaning : of considerable importance, size, or worth(adj).
Synonyms : strong
Antonyms : flimsy
Example : “a substantial amount of cash”
9) deliberate
Meaning : done consciously and intentionally.
Synonyms : consider
Antonyms : random
Example : “a deliberate attempt to provoke conflict”
10) untoward
Meaning : unexpected and inappropriate or inconvenient.(adj)
Synonyms : adverse
Antonyms : proper
Example : “both tried to behave as if nothing untoward had happened”
11) damning
Meaning : unexpected and inappropriate or inconvenient.
Synonyms : condemning
Antonyms : pardon
Example : “both tried to behave as if nothing untoward had happened”
12) derailed
Meaning : obstruct (a process) by diverting it from its intended course.
Synonyms : insane
Antonyms : assisted
Example : “the plot is seen by some as an attempt to derail the negotiations”
13) revived
Meaning : restore to life or consciousness.
Synonyms : restored
Antonyms : drained
Example : “both men collapsed, but were revived”
14) corroboration
Meaning : evidence which confirms or supports a statement, theory, or finding; confirmation(n).
Synonyms : affirmation
Antonyms : contradiction
Example : “there is no independent corroboration for this”
15) sought
Meaning : attempt to find (something).(v)
Synonyms : desired
Antonyms : unwanted
Example : “they came here to seek shelter from biting winter winds”
16) impeached
Meaning : charge (the holder of a public office) with misconduct.
Synonyms : accused
Antonyms : absolved
Example : “congressional moves to impeach the president”
17) affidavits
Meaning : a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court.(n)
Synonyms : actions
Example : “a former employee swore an affidavit relating to his claim for unfair dismissal”
18) hostage
Meaning : a person seized or held as security for the fulfilment of a condition.
Synonyms : surety
Antonyms : warden
Example : “they were held hostage by armed rebels”
19) reinforce
Meaning : strengthen or support (an object or substance), especially with additional material.
Synonyms : fortify
Antonyms : diminish
Example : “the helmet has been reinforced with a double layer of cork”
20) patronage
Meaning : the support given by a patron(n).
Synonyms : support
Antonyms : opposition
Example : “the arts could no longer depend on private patronage”
21) complicity
Meaning : the fact or condition of being involved with others in an activity that is unlawful or morally wrong.
Synonyms : connivance
Antonyms : innocence
Example : “they were accused of complicity in the attempt to overthrow the government”
22) prevail
Meaning : the fact or condition of being involved with others in an activity that is unlawful or morally wrong.(n)
Synonyms : triumph
Antonyms : lose
Example : “they were accused of complicity in the attempt to overthrow the government”
23) genocide
Meaning : the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular nation or ethnic group.
Synonyms : annihilation
Antonyms : peace
Example : “a campaign of genocide”
24) invoked
Meaning : cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.(v)
Synonyms : enforced
Antonyms : ignored
Example : “the antiquated defence of insanity is rarely invoked in England”
25) cited
Meaning : refer to (a passage, book, or author) as evidence for or justification of an argument or statement, especially in a scholarly work(v).
Synonyms : accused
Antonyms : concealed
Example : “authors who are highly regarded by their peers tend to be cited”
