In Mahabharat, righteous and mighty persons like Bhishma Pitamah, Dronacharya and Karna had to suffer and meet the end in the battlefield of Kurushetra for taking the side of the sinners – the Kaurwas led by Duryodhan. Some respected personalities of India joined the hands with ‘save Yakub campaign’ making last ditch efforts to save him from the gallows. Alas, they failed in their attempt, was hanged this morning in Nagpur jail.
Those who tried to save the life of Memon can be divided in three categories, first people like Gopalkrishna Gandhi former Governor of West Bengal and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Tushar Gandhi, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, some jurists that included retired judges of High Courts and Supreme Court of India.
The second category trying to save Memon came from legal profession, some of them were doing their professional job in defence of Memon and some others thought that Memon did not deserve hanging. The latter class included senior activist lawyers like Prashant Bhushan and Anand Grover who knocked at the door of Chief Justice of India for a late night hearing to defer the hanging by 14 days. They argued their plea till 3. 30 a.m. in Room no. 4 with three judge bench but failed to get any relief. The Supreme Court was opened in the wee hours at 2.30 a.m. to hear their plea.
The third category of people who raised the banner of ‘save Yakub campaign came from politics and from film industry. Politicians like Assaudin Owaisi, Prakash Karat, his wife Brinda, Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, Mani Shanker Aiyer etc whose views and mind are known for supporting members of the minority community even when they are criminals and convicts. They did so in case of Afzal Guru before his hanging in the case of attack on Parliament.
The people from film industry have high stake in Mumbai. They are known for taking favours and getting slush money, at least some of them, from the underworld kingpins. Many used to perform at stage to entertain Dawood Ibrahim in Sharjah and Dubai. Their reaction was natural in favour of Yakub Memon.
Coming to the first category of people, illustrious ones it can be presumed that they are against capital punishment. Tushar Gandhi made it clear that he was against capital punishment. They forget that capital punishment is on the statute books and until the law is repealed people committing heinous crime and terror activities will continue to get death sentence.
Yakub Memon’s crime by aiding and abetting the serial blasts in Mumbai in 1993 was tantamount to attack on the nation. He was a traitor. And those, howsoever, pious and honourable they may be can be bracketed within the category of traitor if they support traitors and terrorists. Like in Mahabharat they too can be held guilty by taking the side of the sinners. Talking of humanitarian ground, well, it has been told many times that if talk for mercy and compassion for Yakub you should also think about those who were killed and those who were incapacitated in the blasts in Mumbai.
A senior lawyer was heard commenting in the Room No. 4 of the Supreme Court of India where a three judge bench pronounced their judgment dismissing the second curative petition of Yakub Memon saying, “These blood thirsty people will hang Yakub tomorrow”. The remark came immediately after the judges sealed the fate of Yakub on Wednesday. This comment is a fit case for prosecution under “Contempt of the Court” laws. Will the Supreme Court Act?
......R K SINHA, MP
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