One day Mulla Nasruddin was walking along the road. Mullah was suddenly hit on the head from behind. When Mullah asked who had hit him and why, a man, who was standing behind him, replied that he hit Mulla inadvertently. But Mullah was not ready to go away without teaching him a lesson.
Thus, Mulla filed a complaint with the authorities. After the hearing of the case, the Magistrate passed the sentence. The offender had to pay a coin as a fine. The accused admitted the punishment. But he said: “I don’t have the coin with me now. Let me go home and get it.”
Mullah realized that he and the Magistrate were colluding to deceive him. It was the unjust verdict that infuriated Mullah more than the beating he received. The culprit was a person with whom the magistrate had a soft corner. That was why the authorities were not ready to punish him. Suddenly Mullah came behind the Magistrate and gave him a whack on the back of his head. The Magistrate jumped to his feet with a scream.
“How dare you do this to me? Do you know what punishment I am capable of giving you?” said the official furiously.
“I know. At the most, you will punish me fining a coin!” Mulla continued: “The punishment you gave him for hitting me was a coin. I can give it to you when he brings it from his home.”
The Magistrate stood speechless before the brilliant wit of Mulla.
When you hear about the punishments for many crimes sentenced in our contemporary society, you will understand the relevance of this Mullah story. We often see two types of punishment for the same offense, often of a contradictory nature. Biased judgments and favoritism. These double standard acts are common not only in terms of sentencing but also in giving jobs and granting positions and awards. They are often biased.
Giving two kinds of punishment for the same mistake is like turning a blind eye to mistakes. If justice is to prevail, if real justice is to be done, there should be no distinction between crime and punishment. The authorities should not see criminals in two ways, with double standards. May those who are placed in high positions be able to dispense justice with merit without violating anyone’s rights or usurping anyone’s rights.
Best wishes
Prof Antoney P Joseph
