TO ARM OR NOT TO ARM
Following the ACT party proposal to arm retailers with weapons, to safeguard themselves from the recent spate of robberies, Indian Weekender spoke to 10 retailers from within the Kiwi-Indian community for their opinion on this issue. Here is what they had to say:
VIPAN GARG-Super Liquor, Manukau
I don’t agree with such a statement. We should not keep arms with us. Even if we keep them, we still can’t shoot anybody for robbing us. Law doesn’t allow us to do so. Even the cops are not allowed to shoot anybody, then how can we? This statement is a result of an emotional reaction.I think, security of retailers has more to do with the law and order situation. The definition of crime should be changed and laws should be made stringent enough to warn criminals against them. The government should think of making stronger laws.
ANIL AHUJA-Khoobsurat, Mt Roskill / Papatoetoe
Although having arms with us will give criminals a message, still I don’t support this statement as it will cause more loss than benefits. Most of our Indian friends own liquor stores in Auckland. We have got insurance for everything. So, if someone robs, we’ll lose some things. But having a gun in our hands can be the cause for somebody losing their life.Instead we can keep a gun that wouldn’t cause death but harm the offenders, for example a tear-gas gun. I think having arms with us will increase crimes. The retailers will then become criminals. Worse than anything, that can lead to violence even in family issues. Who knows, if we are having a gun at home, we might kill somebody in a fit of extreme anger.
MAHENDRA VELENKAR- Star Convenience Store Wakefeld Street, Auckland Central
I was a petrol station owner in India and crimes like robberies have happened to me there. Luckily nothing like that has happened to me here. But having heard of such crimes against community people, I too want to make sure that I am secure at my workplace. But having arms with me is not at all viable. I do not support such statements. Though I would consider keeping some cricket bat or baseball bat with me, in case I feel I’m in danger and need to scare the offenders. I think a better way to ensure our security would be to increase police patrolling and making the punishment for offenders stricter. That would stop them from committing such crimes.
VASANT PATEL- Fenchurch Superette, Glen Innes
I don’t agree with the statement. If we keep weapons, criminals will come with even bigger weapons. This is not an effective way to control crime against retailers. If we are killing the criminals, we’ll also become criminals. Then, what would be the difference between them and us.
ANIL KUMAR- K’Rd Superette, Auckland Central
I strongly disagree with such statement. This is absolutely ridiculous. Why should I keep
arms to secure my life? If the weapon fires back at me by mistake or any customer gets injured, then who will be responsible for that? This is a 100 per cent wrong statement. I do not agree with any political statements at all. They (politicians) wake up before the elections and then disappear for the next three years. These politicians are working for big businesses only, not small businesses like us.Why don’t they make the laws stronger? Why don’t they give strict judgements? Why don’t they give more rights to policemen? The court gives first-time offenders community service. This makes them take the law very lightly.
SAMEER RAI- Charisma Copy and Prints, Papakura
I agree with the statement and I think it is right. If we look at the past few events that have happened in the community, like robbing and killing, I think it is necessary to have arms with us. We are not actually going to harm anybody. But if the offenders will know that you have arms, they will think twice before attacking you.
TAJINDER SINGH- Fast ’n’ FreshQueen Street, Auckland Central
I don’t agree with such statements because in the end it’s going to come back to you. If while saving yourself, you harm somebody, you are going to pay back. You will become a criminal and will have to suffer. Law doesn’t allow us to keep arms with us and harm anybody. There are heaps of other things to keep for your safety. Rather there should be more strictness in law and order. There should be more police to keep an eye on such activities. Punishment for such offences should be stricter so that they would think again before committing crimes. People even go to jail in order to avail the revelry provided to them in jail like good food, for which citizens are paying taxes.
SHIVANI ARORA- India Gate Restaurant, Epsom
I am completely against such statements. I think having the right to be armed can be misused. Moreover, I think the ratio of such crimes is not very high in Auckland, but more so in South Auckland. Retailers in South Auckland should be allowed to keep arms and not Auckland-wide. Optionally they can keep things like softball bats for their safety. I believe police has to be quite firm whilehandling offenders. I feel the police are very soft towards such offenders and that is the reason why such crimes keep on happening so frequently. It’s very unfortunate that school-going children are nowadays shooting at shopkeepers for $5 chocolates.
BIKRAMJIT SINGH- Leabank Dairy, Manurewa
I think it’s a good idea. However, such crimes are not very common. I think it happens to one or two in every 100 retailers. Although there comes an idea that hitting someone will make us criminals, but I don’t agree with that idea. I think it’s not about committing crimes. It’s more about self-defence. I also agree that having arms with us and using them in order to protect ourselves may lead to misuse, but I believe that we retailers must have something to protect ourselves with.
SUKHVINDER SINGH LAL- Shine Kar Kolor, Pukekohe
I think it is a good thing to be armed if we look at the way the gangs are growing here in Auckland. If they know that you have a gun they’ll be scared. It is not necessary to have a loaded gun. We can keep it unloaded. Nobody other than you will get to know that the gun is loaded or not. I think it is a good way to scare them from committing such crimes. Otherwise, if I have to think of other ways to protect myself, I would either need to hire a security guard who will guard my shop, which is not possible to keep for everyone. Or we can keep some baseball bats or things like that for hitting, which I think also isn’t an effective way to protect ourselves. So I think there’s nothing wrong in keeping arms with us for our protection.
Following the ACT party proposal to arm retailers with weapons, to safeguard themselves from the recent spate of robberies, Indian Weekender spoke to 10 retailers from within the Kiwi-Indian community for their opinion on this issue. Here is what they had to say:
VIPAN GARG-Super Liquor, Manukau
Following the ACT party proposal to arm retailers with weapons, to safeguard themselves from the recent spate of robberies, Indian Weekender spoke to 10 retailers from within the Kiwi-Indian community for their opinion on this issue. Here is what they had to say:
VIPAN GARG-Super Liquor, Manukau
I don’t agree with such a statement. We should not keep arms with us. Even if we keep them, we still can’t shoot anybody for robbing us. Law doesn’t allow us to do so. Even the cops are not allowed to shoot anybody, then how can we? This statement is a result of an emotional reaction.I think, security of retailers has more to do with the law and order situation. The definition of crime should be changed and laws should be made stringent enough to warn criminals against them. The government should think of making stronger laws.
ANIL AHUJA-Khoobsurat, Mt Roskill / Papatoetoe
Although having arms with us will give criminals a message, still I don’t support this statement as it will cause more loss than benefits. Most of our Indian friends own liquor stores in Auckland. We have got insurance for everything. So, if someone robs, we’ll lose some things. But having a gun in our hands can be the cause for somebody losing their life.Instead we can keep a gun that wouldn’t cause death but harm the offenders, for example a tear-gas gun. I think having arms with us will increase crimes. The retailers will then become criminals. Worse than anything, that can lead to violence even in family issues. Who knows, if we are having a gun at home, we might kill somebody in a fit of extreme anger.
MAHENDRA VELENKAR- Star Convenience Store Wakefeld Street, Auckland Central
I was a petrol station owner in India and crimes like robberies have happened to me there. Luckily nothing like that has happened to me here. But having heard of such crimes against community people, I too want to make sure that I am secure at my workplace. But having arms with me is not at all viable. I do not support such statements. Though I would consider keeping some cricket bat or baseball bat with me, in case I feel I’m in danger and need to scare the offenders. I think a better way to ensure our security would be to increase police patrolling and making the punishment for offenders stricter. That would stop them from committing such crimes.
VASANT PATEL- Fenchurch Superette, Glen Innes
I don’t agree with the statement. If we keep weapons, criminals will come with even bigger weapons. This is not an effective way to control crime against retailers. If we are killing the criminals, we’ll also become criminals. Then, what would be the difference between them and us.
ANIL KUMAR- K’Rd Superette, Auckland Central
I strongly disagree with such statement. This is absolutely ridiculous. Why should I keep
arms to secure my life? If the weapon fires back at me by mistake or any customer gets injured, then who will be responsible for that? This is a 100 per cent wrong statement. I do not agree with any political statements at all. They (politicians) wake up before the elections and then disappear for the next three years. These politicians are working for big businesses only, not small businesses like us.Why don’t they make the laws stronger? Why don’t they give strict judgements? Why don’t they give more rights to policemen? The court gives first-time offenders community service. This makes them take the law very lightly.
SAMEER RAI- Charisma Copy and Prints, Papakura
I agree with the statement and I think it is right. If we look at the past few events that have happened in the community, like robbing and killing, I think it is necessary to have arms with us. We are not actually going to harm anybody. But if the offenders will know that you have arms, they will think twice before attacking you.
TAJINDER SINGH- Fast ’n’ FreshQueen Street, Auckland Central
I don’t agree with such statements because in the end it’s going to come back to you. If while saving yourself, you harm somebody, you are going to pay back. You will become a criminal and will have to suffer. Law doesn’t allow us to keep arms with us and harm anybody. There are heaps of other things to keep for your safety. Rather there should be more strictness in law and order. There should be more police to keep an eye on such activities. Punishment for such offences should be stricter so that they would think again before committing crimes. People even go to jail in order to avail the revelry provided to them in jail like good food, for which citizens are paying taxes.
SHIVANI ARORA- India Gate Restaurant, Epsom
I am completely against such statements. I think having the right to be armed can be misused. Moreover, I think the ratio of such crimes is not very high in Auckland, but more so in South Auckland. Retailers in South Auckland should be allowed to keep arms and not Auckland-wide. Optionally they can keep things like softball bats for their safety. I believe police has to be quite firm whilehandling offenders. I feel the police are very soft towards such offenders and that is the reason why such crimes keep on happening so frequently. It’s very unfortunate that school-going children are nowadays shooting at shopkeepers for $5 chocolates.
BIKRAMJIT SINGH- Leabank Dairy, Manurewa
I think it’s a good idea. However, such crimes are not very common. I think it happens to one or two in every 100 retailers. Although there comes an idea that hitting someone will make us criminals, but I don’t agree with that idea. I think it’s not about committing crimes. It’s more about self-defence. I also agree that having arms with us and using them in order to protect ourselves may lead to misuse, but I believe that we retailers must have something to protect ourselves with.
SUKHVINDER SINGH LAL- Shine Kar Kolor, Pukekohe
I think it is a good thing to be armed if we look at the way the gangs are growing here in Auckland. If they know that you have a gun they’ll be scared. It is not necessary to have a loaded gun. We can keep it unloaded. Nobody other than you will get to know that the gun is loaded or not. I think it is a good way to scare them from committing such crimes. Otherwise, if I have to think of other ways to protect myself, I would either need to hire a security guard who will guard my shop, which is not possible to keep for everyone. Or we can keep some baseball bats or things like that for hitting, which I think also isn’t an effective way to protect ourselves. So I think there’s nothing wrong in keeping arms with us for our protection.
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