The Supreme Court of India has rightly upheld the life sentence for Dara Singh for killing Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons in Orissa in 1999. Dara Singh’s accomplice, Mahendra Hembram, has also been sentenced to life in prison. As stated by Gladys Staines herself after the verdict, “forgiveness and the consequences of our wrongdoing should not be mixed up”. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had in fact wanted the death sentence for Singh, who was linked with Hindu right-wing group Bajrang Dal. All of us are aware of the tragedy which shocked the entire world when the Staines family (except the wife and eldest daughter) were burnt alive in Keonjhar. Graham Staines had worked with leprosy patients in Orissa for 30 years. He was sleeping with his sons, aged 8 and 10, in a car on their way home. A mob in Manoharpur village poured petrol over Staines’ car and set fire to it. The Staines tried to escape, but a mob of about 50 people allegedly prevented them. This is the brutality of crime committed by Dara Singh and the others. No matter which religion you profess to worship or practice, such inhuman crime should never ever be allowed to happen ever again. Although many of us in our anger or pain will never condone such crime committed against you, your family or your loved ones, nevertheless, the courage of conviction shown by Gladys Staines to forgive her husband and son’s killers is indeed Christ like. All of us whether we are Christians or non-Christians need to emulate such character of love, peace and forgiveness. The world will become a much better place to live in.
For the rest of us in this country, there is a lesson to be learned from what has transpired ever since the unfortunate day when Graham Staines and his sons were brutally killed. The forgiveness publicly showered upon Dara Singh by Gladys Staines and the finality reached through the verdict of the highest court of the land is indeed notable. First of all we need to acknowledge the fact that the Staines case has been conducted with dignity. By and large no one has tried to politicize the issue, neither the politicians nor the Hindus or Christians. Even the media has to a large extent acted responsibly. The rule of law has prevailed. We need to appreciate this fact given that other high profile cases such as the Afzal Guru episode have been embroiled in vote bank politics and rabble rousing between the Hindus and Muslims and also the main political parties the Congress and BJP have given this case a political colour. This is in stark contrast to the Staines case which has finally delivered justice without remorse or ill will between religious or political groups. Hopefully no one will disturb the outcome of the verdict. In fact it should be mentioned here that it was the Christian Church which had actually opposed the CBI recommendation of the death sentence for the main accused Dara Singh “on moral and ethical grounds”, although the crime as well as the motive was brutal and ruthless in nature. While those who commit such horrible crime should not go unpunished, nevertheless, all of us who follow the teachings of Jesus Christ should indeed be proud of the love and compassion shown by Gladys Staines, her family and indeed by the Church to people like Dara Singh. We need the spirit of love, forgiveness and peaceful co-existence to prevail. Hopefully all religions will propagate this universal message for our common humanity.
