This refers to the editorial, “After that December 16” (December 18). The Delhi gangrape juvenile has spent three years in remand home and as per the law of the land, is entitled to be released. Already, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2014, is awaiting Parliament's nod and a decision will come sooner than later. Even if there is a subsequent amendment, there is no case for delaying the release of the Delhi case juvenile. The concerted campaign to plant the Delhi gangrape juvenile as a “radicalist” and “non-reformist” is unfortunate and uncalled for. The Government has to be clear and unambiguous in its intent.
A holistic approach has to be adopted to try juveniles for crimes. No individual is a criminal by birth. Examples have revealed that juvenile offenders mostly come from the economically weaker sections of society. Societal and peer pressures are offshoots of the above. One just hopes that the Government does not succumb to popular pressure before arriving at a decision.