Mumbaikars are divided over the government’s decision to execute Yakub.
Yakub Memom one of the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts will be executed by the Maharashtra government on July 30. According to sources an anti-terror court in Mumbai has issued a warrant for the execution of 53-year-old Memon, who was found guilty of conspiracy in 2007. Mumbaikars are divided over the government’s decision to execute Yakub. Some of them said that finally a bomb blast accused is likely to be hanged while some others criticised the government for indulging in communal politics.
“If the government executes Yakub Memon then justice will be delivered to the victims of the 1993 Mumbai blasts. The government should have taken this decision earlier as already so many years have been passed ever since the incident has occurred” Ritesh Shah, a Borivali resident.
On the other hand, senior lawyer and NCP leader Majeed Memon criticised the decision taken by the Maharashtra government to hang Yakub and said that the government was acting in haste and it should have waited for the Supreme Court order.
Memom said, “I can’t understand why there is this rush to pass such an order. This is not fair. The government of Maharashtra seems to be in a hurry to execute this man, why can’t they wait for the Supreme Court hearing?” Memon added.
“Yakub could be hanged in the Nagpur jail or in Pune’s Yerwada jail,” said Nagpur Jail superintendent Yogesh Desai.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi criticised the state government over “leaking of Memon’s execution date”.
“When there was so much secrecy over date of Kasab and Afzal Guru’s hanging, why is Memon’s execution date announced through media. The government is trying to indulge in communal politics” said Azmi.
“It is wrong to declare the execution date in such a manner despite the fact that his plea is being considered by SC,” he added.
Memon was awarded the death sentence by a Special TADA Court in Mumbai in 2007 for his role of arranging for finances for the carrying out the 13 serial blasts which left 257 dead and over 700 injured across the city.
Subsequently, Memon – the brother of one of the main absconding accused Ibrahim alias Tiger Memon – appealed against the sentence in the Bombay High Court, Supreme Court and later filed a mercy petition with the President, followed by a review petition, and now a second review petition which is pending.
The authorities are slated to go ahead with the execution of Yakub if the Supreme Court rejects a curative petition filed against his death sentence. The plea is scheduled to come up for hearing in the apex court on July 21.
However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy rallied behind the Devendra Fadnavis government over the issue, saying there cannot be mercy for those who do not have “mercy for others”.
“It was a crime against the nation. Why should we have mercy on people who don’t have mercy for others? We should never forgive people who have harmed the society,” said Swamy.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, meanwhile, clarified that a final decision on the execution of Yakub Memon would be taken only after the Supreme Court verdict.
“The Supreme Court has made a decision on this issue. Whatever directives will be given by the court, the Maharashtra Government will act according to that. We will provide more information on this matter when the time is right,” said Fadnavis.
