Uphold the rule of law

When the State compromises The Veerappans thrive The strength of a government is not so much the weapons in its arsenal as the courage of conviction of its leaders and their determination to uphold the rule of law.

The point is that the State, whatever the provocation, cannot compromise on principle. During the freedom struggle, the enlightened leadership of the Congress did not approve of the terrorist methods people like Aurobindo advocated. However patriotic the Bhagat Singhs and Khudiram Boses might have been, their ways were unacceptable. The only exception made was when the Congress defended the action of those who conspired in the sensational killing in Pune over a century ago which was, perhaps, the first act of terrorism. It’s this willingness to compromise that is exploited by the Veerappans. The State must at all times uphold the rule of law. A.J.Phillip The Indian Express November 20, 2000