Parties slam Maharashtra Govt for announcing Yakub Memon's execution date

Term it as marketing gimmick to take political mileage

The Maharashtra government’s move to announce the execution date of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon on July 30 has evoked angry reactions from some political parties. The Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) have slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government on its decision to issue a death warrant for hanging Memon at 7 am on Wednesday, especially when the curation petition filed by the latter is slated to come up for hearing on July 21 in the Supreme Court.

In a blistering attack, SP legislator Abu Asim Azmi alleged it was the state government’s marketing gimmick, to polarise the society. “The date, time and venue for the execution of Afzal Guru, convicted in the Parliament attack case, was kept secret. Then why government has announced the date of Memon’s execution when his curation petition is pending before the apex court?” he asked. He alleged the government has resorted to it only to cover up its failures on all fronts.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Ratnakar Mahajan said, “It is quite immature move and creates suspicion about the government’s intent. It seems the government wants to create some sort of commotion. There was no need to make announcement in this regard.”

Further, NCP MP and senior lawyer Majeed Memon wondered why the Maharashtra government was in a hurry to hang Memon when the legal process was not complete.

Maharashtra NCP spokesman Nawab Malik alleged the state government wanted to take a political mileage out of it. “The government should have kept it secret in the larger interest of the state and the country,” he added.

MIM legislator Wasim Pathan said what was the need for such a haste by the government. He charged the government for showing vendetta against the Muslim community.

However, Shiv Sena spokesperson and legislator Neelam Gorhe said the issue was quite serious and all Indians should be on the same page. “Memon has been tried and convicted by a court of law. He committed a serious offence and a lot of people lost their lives. The President of India has rejected his mercy petition and therefore whatever task is assigned for the central and state government will do in accordance with the law,” she added.
MUMBAI SERIAL BOMB BLASTS 1993

• March 12, 1993: A series of 13 explosions rock Mumbai, resulting in 257 fatalities and injuring 713 others
• April 19,1993: Actor Sanjay Dutt (accused number 117) arrested
• November 4, 1993: About 10,000-page primary chargesheet filed against 189 accused, including Dutt
• November 19, 1993: Case handed over to CBI
• October 14, 1995: Dutt granted bail by the SC
• September 12, 2006: Court pronounced four members of the Memon family guilty, acquits three. Twelve convicts awarded death penalty and 20 given life sentence
• March 21, 2013: SC upholds death sentence of convict Yakub Memon, brother of Tiger Memon, and commutes death sentence of 10 others to life term. Life imprisonment for 16 out of 18 convicts also upheld. Dutt also convicted and gets 5 years in jail