Are Indians responsible to own guns.

[bennedose]

So, Mr. Bennedose, please stop beating around the bush, come right out and tell me plainly, without obfuscation: Do you believe that the right to keep and bear arms is a right for all citizens of India that should be granted immediately, or not?

No. The right already exists. What I want is the ability to exercise the right.

Again, sir, I am not asking about what you want for yourself. It seems there is a great need to play word games in this thread.

The question is, do you want every law abiding citizen in India to be able to exercise this right? And may I hear just a simple "yes" or "no" please?

Let me start by objecting to your precondition that I must reduce the number of words I use to what is demanded by you.

Having got that out of the way, the answer is a resounding yes. No doubt about it.

To get back to my penchant for saying much. The fact that every citizen's right is suppressed (in India) is itself a symptom of deep malaise which I suspect will be cured by everyone being allowed to own guns legally like the elite few. And by elite few I don't mean the law abiding types who might become members of this forum. But from my viewpoint, living in India, I see a solid brick wall in front of me that deprives me of my right, while the argument I am given is that I should consider myself lucky, because people don't have food and water and other things which are fundamental rights and that I should stop slobbering after guns (not Gandhian?) and should busy myself agreeing with all the excuses given to me as to why i should not own a (real) firearm.

My big complaint is that "legalities" have been used to suppress rights in India. That is what bothers me most. I believe that this only encourages those who wish to break the law, rather than encourage people who stay within the law.

[Virendra S Rathore]

So, Mr. Bennedose, please stop beating around the bush, come right out and tell me plainly, without obfuscation: Do you believe that the right to keep and bear arms is a right for all citizens of India that should be granted immediately, or not?

No. The right already exists. What I want is the ability to exercise the right.

What you're referring to, is the training cum evaluation of the license applicants perhaps.
While that is a sweet ideal thing to have, till it turns into reality, do we leave the people to mercy of lucky chance that the goons leave his house alone?
Since globalization many poor, isolated Indians have learnt driving, got driving license and taken to roads on mopeds. They drive by the rules and they drive everyday on the roads of this country. I don't see a lack of ability.
What lacks is the Government's willingness to provide infrastructure, intent to help the citizen; the citizen who still wants to be able to defend himself and is rubbing his slippers in offices of the Babus for his license.
Believe me he will rejoice and happily accept (as any law abiding citizen would) when you tell him that he will be trained and evaluated before grant of the license.
Our villagers were able to route the Turks and harass the Mughals at every opportunity, all the while tilling their soil. How? First thing - they were armed .. almost every house, with a sword/lance against Turks and with a musket against Mughals.
Else we wouldn't have survived the onslaught after regular native State armies were evaporated in field wars.

Regards,
Virendra

[Virendra S Rathore]

My big complaint is that "legalities" have been used to suppress rights in India. That is what bothers me most. I believe that this only encourages those who wish to break the law, rather than encourage people who stay within the law.

Here's what our courts have to say on this matter.
From http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/ar ... 74288.html
"Only respectable and peaceful persons require license. Moreover, unnecessary rejection of applications for grant of firearm license breeds a tendency to keep unlicensed arms - a greater evil", Justice Khan said.
If you have time and visit DFI again, please go through - http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/poli ... rself.html

Regards,
Virendra