उजला ही उजला शहर होगा 
जिस में हम तुम बनायेंगे घर 
दोनों रहेंगे कबूतर से 
जिस में होगा न बाजों का डर  

मखमल स नाज़ुक दीवारों भी होंगी, 
कोनो में बैठी बहारें भी होंगी 
 खिड़की की चौखट भी रेशम की होगी 
संदल से लिपटी हाँ सेहन भी हओंगी 
चंदन की खुशबू भी टपकेगी छत से 
फूलों का दरवाज़ा अखोलेंगे झट से 
द्दोलेंगे मई की हवा के झोंके
आँखों को छू लेंगे गर्दन भिगो के 
आँगन में बिखरे पड़े होगने पत्ते
सूखे से नाज़ुक से पीले छिताक्के, 
पाओ को नंगा जो करके चलेंगे, 
चरपर की आवाज़ से वो बजेंगे 
कोयल कहेगी की मैं हम सहेली, 
मैंना कहेगी नहीं तू अकेली, 
बतताख भी चोंचो में हस्ती सी होगी, 
बगुले कहेंगे सुनो अब उठो भी 
 हम ओहिर भी होंगे पड़े आंख मूंदे, 
कलियों की लड़ियाँ दिलों में हाँ, 
भूलेंगे उस पार के उस जहां को, 
जाती है कोई डग्गर 
चांदी के तारों से रातें बुनेंगे तोह चमकीली होगी सहर 
आओगे थक कर जो हाँ साथी मेरे, 
कंधे में लुंगी टिका साथी मेरे, 
बोलोगे तुम जो भी साथी मेरे, 
मोती सा लुंगी उठा साथी मेरे, 
पलकों की कोरों पे आये जो आसूं, 
मैं क्यूँ डारूंगी बता साथी मेरे,
 ऊँगली तुम्हारी तोह पहले से होगी, 
गालों पे मेरे तोह हाँ साथी मेरे, 
तुम हँस पड़ोगे तोह मैं हँस पडूँगी 
तुम रो पड़ोगे तोह मैं रो पडूँगी, 
लेकिन मेरी बात इक याद रखना 
 मुझको हमेशा ही हाँ साथ रखना, 
जुडती अहअन यह ज़मीन आसमान से 
हद्द हाँ हमारी शुरू हो वहां से तारों को छुलों ज़रा सा संभल के, 
उस चाँद पे जहात से जाये इसल के, 
बह जाए दोनों हवा से निकलके 
सूरज भी देखे हमें और जल के, 
होगा नहो हम पे मालूम साथी, 
तीनो जहां का अससर राहों को रहे भुलायेंगे साथी हम, ऐसे हाँ होगा सफ़र

Does Capital punishment acts as a deterrent to rape

Recently India witnessed gruesome and inhumane rape of a 23 year old in national capital which sent jitters across the nation and shattered the very foundation of culture and value that each one of us as an Indian takes pride in. This was followed by the court’s verdict of capital punishment to four accused while sending one to the juvenile home, he being a minor. This very verdict has once again raised the question “Does Capital punishment acts as a deterrent to the heinous crimes and should state reserve the right to take away one’s life?” Hereby I want to express my opinion against the motion.

As soon as the incident started gaining attention of the media, we all saw popular outbreak of public sentiments holding protests at various parts of the country demanding capital punishment for the accused. While I would not like to believe that judicial system of our country gave up to the popular demand and mob mentality, but somewhere we all knew the verdict. Yet did it deter the four youngsters in Mumbai from gang rape of a 22 year old journalist just few months after the Delhi incident? Possibly they believed that they either won’t be caught, or if caught at all will be acquitted. This actually raises a very important issue that isn’t the surety of catching the perpetrators and bringing them to justice a better deterrent than capital punishment? India’s conviction rate in case of sexual assault has been falling rapidly from 44% in 1973 to 26% in 2010. The number of reported cases is manifold times low owing to the social stigma attached to such crimes. There are so many unreported incidents of rape whose voices are unheard. Then there are incidents of involvement of high profile people in crime against women, be in Bhawari Devi case of Rajasthan or Madhumita case of UP or rape by police and soldiers. Accused in such cases were either never tried or acquitted due to lack of evidence. It is clear that a certainty of punishment rather than its severity can only act as a deterrent to such heinous crimes.

While public resent in understandable, anger and outrage should not be a guiding factor for any progressive society. Succumbing to such measures will only reflect over as a hypocrite society who believed in right to live with honor and dignity of the victim and justify it by taking the life of culprit. Revenge should not be mistaken as justice. As long as there is a life, it gives the culprit a chance to improve, show remorse, despair, understand the gravity of the crime committed and regret and do whatever he can to improve himself as a person and society as a whole. Crime against women and sexual offenses has not only been committed by the illiterate but also by the so called high class educated people. Most of the rape has been committed under heavy influence of drugs and alcohol and in spur of moment. Do we really believe that a person thinks about   the stringent punishments he might receive at that moment? Has capital punishment stopped murder and other heinous crimes in our country? Are there no incidents of rape in the countries which support stringent punishments?

Recent incidents of rape have shown increased involvement of youth. Victims have been identified as minor in many of those cases. We cannot shy away from the fact that in the recent years our society as failed to impart values. Be it cinema or advertisements, women are still objectified. Discussing sex with children is still a taboo in Indian family. Until unless we bring basic reforms in our education and outlook, we cannot find easy solutions in the form of capital punishments and wash our hands off our primary responsibility of bringing up our children in sound environment and making strong foundations on which stands our social structure. Mindless outrage and intolerance should not find place in progressive society.