Arun Shourie Quotes
Not an eye for an eye, not a tooth for a tooth; that is completely wrong. But for an eye, both the eyes; for a tooth, the whole jaw
In 2008 Pakistani Islamic terrorists, with the support of the Pakistani military, attacked Mumbai, India killing innocent civilians. Shoune was one of the Indian politicians who called for retaliation. The Indian government, however, restrained its forces and did not increase the cycle of violence.
Arun Shourie, Indian journalist, author and politician, Indian Minister of Disinvestment, Communication and Information Technology, General Secretary of the People's Union for Civil Liberties, Call for retaliation after the Mumbai attacks of 2008
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
This unfortunate concept is in the literal Biblical history of Judaism and Christianity as well as Islam.
This sura on retaliation for murder is behind the Saudi Arabian law which allows the male relative of a murder victim to personally wield the sword in the beheading of the murderer.
This proverb only makes sense in the light of understanding the Arab concept of revenge—“blood.” In a rural desert environment where little can be expected of government, the Arabs have developed a law enforcement and peace keeping mechanism which while primitive from modern standards, nevertheless worked to some degree. It is that revenge—“blood” is a moral necessity and obligation of all people, and revenge is not limited by time or to the individuals involved in the first incidence. The immediate family are the first to extract revenge, but the extended family follows and often the entire clan. Sometimes revenge is tribal or even national. Anyone who fails to revenge a member in his group is not only a disgrace, but is a clear and present danger to the group because then they can be attacked with impunity. So revenge is a strong obligation of the group members and blood must be paid with blood no matter how many generations it may take. The only thing that keeps me and my family safe, is the surety what whosoever kills one of us will themselves be killed or if they die a natural death we will take revenge on one of the evildoers relatives. Crime must never pay!
Arun Shourie is an Indian economist, journalist, author and politician. He has worked as an economist with the World Bank, a consultant to the Planning Commission of India, editor of the Indian Express and The Times of India and a Minister of Communications and Information Technology in the Vajpayee Ministry (1998–2004). He was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982 and the Padma Bhushan in 1990.
