What does the term
“minor” mean? A “minor” is a person who has not reached the prescribed age of
adulthood as set down by the law. It is only concerned with the numerical age
of a person and not his/her mental age or being.
In such a case, where age is merely a number,
is it justified that the cruelest of attackers in the Delhi case should be
tried as a juvenile just because he wasn't 18 at the time of the crime? I
believe that a person, who can commit a crime with the brutality that no child
can think of, should not be tried as a child. He must be tried and punished as
any other criminal who has committed such an inhumane act should be. Also not giving
a harsh punishment is going to send out a wrong message to others out there
that you can do almost anything and get away with it so long as you remember to
do it before you turn 18.
As the saying goes, “the punishment should fit
the crime”, I as well as many others are waiting for a punishment that fits the
crime that he has done. In the end I only hope the Supreme Court should see to
it that he does not get away, but he is punished and punished appropriately.
