By IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, 23 March 2015: Who lost on Saturday – when a Delhi court absolved 16 policemen of Uttar Pradesh of all charges in the 1987 Hashimpura massacre case, asks Rebecca Mammen John who argued the case for the victims and she herself answers. “India lost its right to be called a law enforcing Constitutional Republic. Not the victims, who had bravely fought for justice for 28 years. During that period, they never lost hope, they were so dignified in their struggle and they always believed that justice would be done. It was not. And we must hang our heads in shame!” wrote senior lawyer Rebecca on her facebook page Sunday morning.
She talked about eight lessons from the Hashimpura case. “It should never take 28 years to conclude a trial involving the cold blooded murder of 42 men. It shows without a shadow of doubt, that our system cannot deliver and will certainly never deliver when the victim or victims are poor, Dalit, marginalised or Muslim,” she wrote.
She pointed out that even facing the murder charges, the accused policemen of UP’s Provincial Armed Constabulary were never suspended.
“It must be placed on record that the policemen accused of this massacre, were never suspended. They remained in the force, some were even promoted. They had the means and the ability to control the investigation and charter its outcome,” said the lawyer.
She also wrote that so-called secular parties including Congress are no different from BJP when it comes to protecting criminals in uniform.
“It must also be placed on record that this incident took place on 22.5.1987, when a Congress government was ruling the State of Uttar Pradesh and the Congress was in power at the Centre. When communal flare ups happen and when people are killed along communal lines, all political parties react in the same manner. They have a tacit understanding that men in uniform who target and kill on communal lines, must be protected at all costs. In this, the Congress is no different than the BJP,” wrote Rebecca.
