Hunger....A curse of society

chanakyakripa

fifteen year old boy in America  was caught stealing from a store.  On trying to escape from the hold of the guard, a shelf of the store was also broken.

The judge heard the crime and asked the boy - Did you really steal something, a packet of bread and cheese?

The boy responded by looking down, Yes!

Judge - Why?

Boy - I needed.

Judge - You could have bought.

Boy - I had no money.

Judge - You should have taken it from your family.                                                  

Boy - 'There's only mother in the house.  She's sick and unemployed, I stole bread and cheese for the same reason.

Judge - You don't do anything?

Boy - I used to wash a car.  When I took a day off to take care of my mother, I was fired.

Judge - Didn't you ask someone for help?

Boy: - Since I left the house this morning, I approached about fifty people for help, no one responded. I finally took this step at the very end.

When the arguments ended, the judge began to pronounce the verdict . The theft and especially the theft of Bread is a very shameful crime and we are all responsible for this crime.  Every person in the court, including me, is a perpetrator, so every person present here is fined ten dollars.  No one can get out of here without giving ten dollars!```

Saying this, the judge took ten dollars out of his pocket and then picked up the pen and started writing.  

In addition to this, I've fined the store a thousand dollars for handing over a hungry child to the police.

If the penalty is not deposited within 24 hours, the court will order the store to be sealed!

By giving the full amount of fine to this boy, the court asks for forgiveness from that boy.

After hearing the verdict, tears were streaming out from the eyes of the people present in the court along with that boy's sobs!  The boy was watching the judge again and again, who walked out hiding his tears.

Are our society, systems and courts ready for such a decision? Chanakya had said that if a hungry person is caught stealing food, then the people of that country should be ashamed.

Rushcourt71

Interesting analysis. Many readers worldwide may sympathise with the boy but disagree with the verdict. Giving money away is a sensitive issue; being forced too is an even greater one, especially when it is not to the state.