Yakub Abdul Razak Memon was executed by hanging on 30 July 2015 at 0630 IST in Nagpur jail. About 257 people were killed and over 700 injured in a series of explosions that rocked Mumbai on March 12, 1993.
He was a terrorist by choice and chartered accountant by profession. Yakub was convicted over his involvement in the 1993 Bombay bombings by Special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities court on 27 July 2007. He along with his brother, of one of the prime suspects in the bombings, Tiger Memon planned and executed the horrific mayhem.
The manner in which 24 x 7 television coverage, accorded to a man who waged war against the nation, portraying him as a victim, leaves a person like me hurt. I for one expected these opinion makers to glorify the death of Abdul Kalam instead.
Dawood was assisted in this act by Tiger Memon, one of his most trusted associates who is also believed to be hiding somewhere in Pakistan. The bombings were financed by expatriate Indian smugglers based out of the UAE.
Post December 6 demolition of the disputed structure (Babri Masjid) in Ayodhya, widespread riots gripped Mumbai. It was alleged that the police colluded with rioters in which certain minority-inhabited areas were targeted.
The planners thus managed to rope in disgruntled Muslim youths who would travel to Dubai, then to Pakistan to receive training, then come back to India to actually execute the attacks.
The lengthy and frustrating legal process it may have been. However the cases of terrorists like Ajmal Kasab and now of Yakub Memon have yet again highlighted the fairness of trial and the rule of law in India.
Unfortunately though, there was seen a trend in the commercial electronic media, human right activists, certain members of the civil society, Bollywood actors and not to miss out some of our opportunist politicians; who never blinked for once in raising a voice in support of a terrorist who 22 years ago had killed 257 innocent people.
The manner in which 24 x 7 television coverage, accorded to a man who waged war against the nation, portraying him as a victim, leaves a person like me hurt. I for one expected these opinion makers to glorify the death of Abdul Kalam instead.
Can we as a nation obstruct those who for their personal agenda wish to immortalise Yakub.
Going by the “Big data” analysis of the social media. I get a sense that there are many voices who are divided on the communal lines.
A noted Muslim commentator on the television wrote on her Face Book that “The hanging of Yakub Memon highlights state sponsored murders of Muslims”.
Another Hindu personality wrote, “Those who are sad at the hanging of Yakub may like to apply for a visa to Pakistan”. While a few sophisticated members of our society gently put it as a sad day for humanity.
The whole argument appeared to revolve around those who suffered and their perpetrators, while none talked about India, the real victim. Till such time a terrorist like the Pakistan continues to exist in its present form there will be many Dawood, Yakub Menon and Ajmal Kasabs.
Can we as a nation obstruct those who for their personal agenda wish to immortalise Yakub Abdul Razak Memon.
© Copyright 2015 Indian Defence Review
No comments:
Post a Comment