The Self-defence conundrum.

[Ambi]

Can anybody foresee that at some time in future, a self- defence situation would arise and he would need a weapon to Survival?
Recently one young man was stabbed with knives and killed by some persons who stormed into his house. If his family had owned a gun, they could have saved his life. Six months before that, the victim, at least in this case, couldn't have foreseen the threat to his life and if he had applied for gun licence for self defence, it would, in all likelihood, have been rejected.
This incident, just one of numerous similar ones, goes to show that self defence need is unpredictable and may arise at any time in one's life. The threat to life is ever present and there is no sense in government asking for proof as condition for a gun licence.

[sumbriavikramaditya]

Yes, you are correct but Governments have a different way of thinking and acting.

[sourabhsangale]

Can anybody foresee that at some time in future, a self- defence situation would arise and he would need a weapon to Survival?
Recently one young man was stabbed with knives and killed by some persons who stormed into his house. If his family had owned a gun, they could have saved his life. Six months before that, the victim, at least in this case, couldn't have foreseen the threat to his life and if he had applied for gun licence for self defence, it would, in all likelihood, have been rejected.
This incident, just one of numerous similar ones, goes to show that self defence need is unpredictable and may arise at any time in one's life. The threat to life is ever present and there is no sense in government asking for proof as condition for a gun licence.

Gun license doesn’t guarantee that you will be safe . You have to have practice and presence of mind to keep up which this situation.
Gun license cannot be granted to each and everyone.

[sumbriavikramaditya]

Gun license doesn’t guarantee that you will be safe . You have to have practice and presence of mind to keep up which this situation.
Gun license cannot be granted to each and everyone.

I strongly agree.

[sourabhsangale]

If we start granting license to every tom dick and harry on the name of self defence and protection than every day there will be murders rather than self protection.

[timmy]

If we start granting license to every tom dick and harry on the name of self defence and protection than every day there will be murders rather than self protection.

So, is it that society should give you a license, but every other Tom, Dick, and Harry in society is evil and a potential murderer?

I say, "Rubbish!"

People sometimes do need the need to protect themselves, especially when society cannot or will not provide that protection.

Each individual is best able to determine when the need for protection exists, not folks like you, who think that neighbors are all potential killers.

Of course, there should be limitations on convicted criminals, which would eliminate folks in government who make the rules.

But you seem to be only advocating guns for yourself, in contrast with the name of our group, which is Indians for Guns.

Perhaps you need to go back and consider these things, and whether you actually belong here.

[UDAYANJADHAV]

In India, only VIPs have threat to life. Common Indian citizen is the most protected citizen on earth. Only high tier politicians and their dear ones need to carry guns because they are so dutiful and righteous that all criminals and terrorists want to harm them. We can see from the data that in the past few decades only politicians were attacked by criminals, latest case being 26/11 where no citizen was harmed, only VIPs. That is why I say that only the VIPs and their relatives should be allowed to RKBA. Common Indian doesn't needs, nor deserves the right to self defence.

[Mr.Shome]

All well connected or wealthy people in India are entitled to licenses...even if they are Toms, Dicks or Harrys. Looks like some members of this forum have a Colonial Hangover regarding something as basic as a weapon. I hope, I ruffled the right feathers. Overall, this is a wonderful forum. Have been going through some of the earlier posts. The quality seems to have taken a beating after certain Toms, Dicks and Harrys joined in - unfortunately, joining such a wonderful forum is easier than obtaining a license. Also wanted to point out since a long time that many folks only join in for answers to their queries, without following the basic etiquette of introducing themselves. Of course, this is followed by the vanishing act.

[Mr.Shome]

Taking this discussion a step further... As per my casual conversation around a year ago with a gun shop owner, roughly 10 to 15 licenses are issued in Kolkata annually. Most of these are for sports quota (of course, even highly talented sports people get it with unfathomable difficulties, if they don't happen to be Toms, Dicks and Harrys with the right connections to prove themselves or rather muscle their way through)... the few remaining ones for self defense go to those privileged handful, irrespective of their Tom, Dick etc. identity.

[Ambi]

" Having a gun doesn't guarantee one's safety"
is the predictable refrain. But even otherwise, there is no guarantee that one will be safe tomorrow. And like the straw to a drowning man, a gun gives hope to its owner that he and his family can be saved.
There is another justification, more important than even self defence, to abolish gun control,viz- saving somebody under attack. Recently a couple was fatally attacked on the highway, watched helplessly by a bus-load of people. If some of them had been armed, they could have saved the victims.
To repeat: The threat to life is unpredictable and government shouldn't ask for proof of it to grant a gun license.

[UDAYANJADHAV]

Exactly! This notion that only some elites are capable of handling guns is very sickening. If a person has no criminal record, has all the minimum requirements stipulated by the law then he or she should get the license irrespective of family background or status.

[partheus]

And, therein lies the problem with current firearm legislation. It doesn't even pass a cursory scrutiny. Apparently, you have to prove you're under threat to be considered for a self-defense license. So according to our legislators, crimes of chance (road robbery, snatch and grab etc) couldn't possibly happen and criminals will always give you a fair warning well in advance before making their move on you.

But, I believe the reason why this (and many other) nonsensical rules continue to abound is because most of us are too busy struggling to live to even consider them. How many actually bother to tune into a parliament session and then contact their MLAs with reservations, if any? Obviously, no change will happen until more people start asking questions.

[Mr.Shome]

And, therein lies the problem with current firearm legislation. It doesn't even pass a cursory scrutiny. Apparently, you have to prove you're under threat to be considered for a self-defense license. So according to our legislators, crimes of chance (road robbery, snatch and grab etc) couldn't possibly happen and criminals will always give you a fair warning well in advance before making their move on you.

But, I believe the reason why this (and many other) nonsensical rules continue to abound is because most of us are too busy struggling to live to even consider them. How many actually bother to tune into a parliament session and then contact their MLAs with reservations, if any? Obviously, no change will happen until more people start asking questions.

Yes Partheus, you nailed it...can't agree more with the the thought that 'most of us are too busy struggling to live to even consider them', and of course the rest of your post.

[Ambi]

The Indian Arms Act seems to be an exercise in futility. There are an estimated (2016) 10m licensed guns and 60m unlicensed ones. All this sound and fury about PB & NPB, character verification, referees, training requirement, accounting of spent cartridges etc are in respect of the miserable 15% of guns in public hands. The government has no clue how to control or eliminate the 85% illegal guns. This like squeezing honest tax payersand businessmen and letting tax-evaders and loan defaulters untouched.

[eljefe]

An Interesting read.

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/202 ... FrJ4xWnbtQ