Bernard Shaw , Godse, Capital Punishment and Constituent Assembly Debates
Tuesday, the 30th November 1948 Shri K. Hanumanthaiya (My sore): Mr. Vice-President, Sir, the amendment moved by Mr. Lari is sponsored on the ground of consideration and following progressive ideas. The abolition of capital sentence is a matter open to argumen t, and I wish to differ from him. We have to look at this problem from two points of view: one from the point of view of the convict himself and the other from the point of view of the State. From the point of view of the convict, I had an idea that the convict would relish a life sentence in preference to execution. Some days back, I happened to read one of Bernard Shaw's dramas ; it was Avery good drama concerning the great heroine of France and there she prefers to be burnt alive rather than be kept in prison for a life time. He brings out that idea very beautifully in the drama, I had to change my opinion that the convict would prefer to be kept alive almost untouched by social inter course and aloof behind the pr...