Lengthy debates were organized by media to discuss Yakub Memon hanging attended by politicians and social activists with different ideologies creating a circus environment. Questioning the verdict of Apex court seems to be fashionable nowadays, defendants of Yakub in complicity with media created an environment favorable to Yakub in blatant contempt of Apex court ruling. All legal remedies to stop the execution were employed but in vain and eventually Yakub Abdul Razak Memon was sent to gallows. It is ironical how a co-conspirator of 1993 Mumbai blasts that claimed 257 lives and devastated scores of families was defended on humanitarian grounds by certain activists.
Politicians as habitual played there part in unnecessarily meddling and extending there arguments that suited there ideology. Intriguing is the case of group of celebrities suggesting mercy for Yakub Memon. Though it seemed silly now, but lot of hysteria was created with continuous media discussion and seemed at one stage Yakub almost succeeded, but then almost is a word that carry no rewards. Mass hysteria only created confusing and acrimonious environment among society. Religious connotations to Yakub hanging was out in open and ruling of supreme court was openly challenged.
There's an old legal aphorism that goes, "If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, pound the law. If you have neither on your side, pound the table." It is noteworthy not a single person can vouch for Yakub's innocence and Supreme court in its wisdom considered his crimes grievous enough to fall under the category of rarest of rare thus granted death sentence, yet mischief mongers tried to twist the proceedings as farce and devoid of merit. Truth is after exhausting all legal channels including rejection of mercy petitions before President he was hanged. Innuendoes about religion is unfortunate and avoidable, the vicious campaign to smudge authorities is not only derogatory but dangerous. A precarious precedent has been set where a convicted terrorist is openly defended on religious ground.
The 1993 Mumbai blasts shouldn't be attributed to action-reaction of Mumbai riots or other unfortunate incidents of past otherwise someone will always find defense in Godhra train burning for Gujarat riots or P.M assassination on 1984 anti Sikh riots. An act of terrorism can't be overlooked and perpetrators can't enjoy extra judiciary benefits on religious bases or citing historical debacles. The rights of terrorists can't supersede that of innocent victims and law should take its own course and deal firmly without getting influenced by social ,religious or human activism. It is however noteworthy and unfortunate to know when convicted criminals in other cases like killers of Rajiv Gandhi and Beant Singh were showed clemency on questionable pretexts. State and system reluctance to execute such criminals is not only questionable but sows the seeds of injustice and sense of alienation among bereaved community.We must introspect and acknowledge the flaws in the system otherwise we will falter repeatedly and will be impervious to improvement.
India being a multicultural,multy-religious society that peacefully coexisted for centuries will have some differences over ideologies, the strength of the society will be tested and vulnerability of fault lines will be exploited by adversaries. The strength of society lies in oneness and not tether apart on religious bases. By questioning the verdict of Apex court we are trivializing the deaths of 257 people who were not only innocents but belong to all religious groups.Thus in this politically and religiously charged environment it is necessary to practice equanimity and divisive forces needs to be tamed and ignored.Peoples faith in judiciary and law enforcement has been restored by punishing the guilty. Although majority of Indians favor death penalty yet if capital punishment has to be abolished then a general consensus needs to be created. In the end i believe it is necessary to have fear of law (death penalty) among perpetrators of heinous crimes but justice should be commuted quickly and shouldn't linger on for decades.
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