Ahmedabad: So Yakub Memon was finally hanged to death early this morning (July 30th) in the Nagpur Central Jail! The 54-year old Chartered Accountant was convicted for the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts which took the lives of 267 people and injured many more. The team of lawyers defending him tried every possible option to stay the death penalty but to no avail.
President Pranab Mukherjee rejected Memon’s final plea for clemency despite a petition from several eminent citizens. The petition which was signed by over 300 persons (former Supreme Court judges, academia, human rights activists, film makers, politicians and others from civil society) requested the President to stay Memon’s execution citing procedural lapses and “disturbing aspects of this case which make the award of death sentence of Yakub Memon as grossly unfair, arbitrary and excessive”.
Apart from the fact that Yakub Memon had already served more than the stipulated time for life imprisonment and that there was little evidence of his direct involvement in the blasts, he was still hanged. Several citizens have termed it as ‘legal murder’. A sense of permissiveness seems to have permeated several sections of Indian society. From last evening, one could see a sense of gloating of ‘fait accompli’ – as people thronged the gates of Nagpur Central Jail for ‘selfies’; media anchors and reporters felt that it is their divine responsibility to scream and yell for a man’s blood! The three members of the Apex Court wouldn’t even consider a further fourteen days reprieve.
On the other hand, Maya Kodnani the linchpin of the Naroda Patiya massacres (and already convicted to more than a life term) gets bail today from the Gujarat High Court; the master-minds of the Gujarat Genocide and the encounter killings of innocent youth, roam freely with immunity and impunity and also hold some of the highest offices of the land; Jayalalitha has been acquitted due to ‘miscalculations’ of her scandalous assets; the Vyapam scam has already taken the toll of more than forty lives; the ‘Lalit-gate’ corruption issue; the killings of dalits, tribals and minorities; the hate-speeches of law makers – for all this and more, many conveniently turn a blind eye.
“There is indeed something rotten in the State of Denmark!”. No, we are not advocating the death penalty for anyone! The death penalty must be abolished! It is a barbaric act and not in sync with civilised society. No violence can be justified; no murder can be rectified; death penalty however is not the answer! Objective studies clearly demonstrate that in nations and societies where the death penalty has been abolished, the crime rate has decreased dramatically.
On March 20th Pope Francis writing to the International Commission Against Death Penalty says, “today the death penalty is inadmissible, no matter how serious the crime committed; capital punishment contradicts God’s plan for man and society and does not render justice to the victims but rather fosters vengeance.” Two wrongs have never made a right. Let us hope that at least in this ‘legal murder’ of Yakub Memon that we all awake and work towards the abolition of the death penalty in India!
(Fr Cedric Prakash SJ is the Director of PRASHANT, the Ahmedabad-based Jesuit Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace.)
Valid point. Should be reserved only for terrorists. Terrorists are not human beings.
The hanging of Yakub Memon gives us a good reason to start the debate over the death penalty. I would like to make out a case in favour of retaining the death penalty. The main arguments trotted out in favour of the abolition of capital punishment are these. First, we should not be party to taking precious human life. Second, sentencing someone to death when facts may later prove him or her innocent means irreparable injustice will be done. Third, death is never a deterrent. And, a fourth, that retribution should never be the aim of capital punishment. It is… Read more »
Finally, I have something in common with Fr. Cedrick Prakasha!! I guess we agree on the topic of banning death penalty. Even though we have different reasons (God Vs reason) to support a ban on death penalty, we both agree that the practice is not something to be continued in a modern society.
Now, I should also point out how he has continued his old habit of bad mouthing Modiji in every possible opportunity. See his repeated references to ‘gujaraath genocide’ while maintaining a clever silence on Sikh massacre following Indira assassination!! smiles…
“Well, it takes courage to do it. Do you know what it is?”, claims Original RSS, Duplicate Pai pointing at Congress. “RSS” and “Courage” are antonyms! If they had any courage, why they do not implement the promises they made to the Hindus since the last sixty years promising that 1. they would build the Rama Temple at Ayodhya, 2. they would bring uniform civil code, 3. they would remove Article 370 and remove all special status given to Kashmir when it acceded to India as offered by Raja Hari Singh of Kashmir, 4. that it would punish Pakistan for… Read more »
The Other Side of Yakub Hanging Saga…I do not support terror in any way however the 1993 bomb blast did not happen in few seconds . What the police and intelligence authorities were doing ? Why the Government or Judiciary did not punish them for not doing their duty ? Did any of the state or ministers from center owned up responsibility ? The investigating and intelligence agencies say they induced Yakub so he may believe them and could be hanged …? Without any inducement Dawood Ibrahim himself gave offer to Sharad Power to surrender why did Mr.Pawar did not… Read more »
I have to commend ‘R J’ for laying out a strong case in favor of death penalty. He/She has done a great job of addressing each argument by the opponents without any exaggeration, insults or ‘oggarane’. However, I am not convinced by his/her case for the following reasons. 1. I guess I belong to the second category who oppose death penalty mainly because of its irreversible nature. Now, one can argue that any form of punishment is irreversible. In a way, it is true. Time lost is lost. However, there is something profoundly irreversible when it comes to death in… Read more »
‘Legal Murder’
Fr Cedric Prakash seems to be an expert in coining new words. Rajnath Singh, please take note.
I would like to hear from Fr Cedric Praksh, what the government of the day in 1993 should have done. Why did Sharad Pawar let the opportunity slip? Was he afraid that some skeletons will fall from his cup board too? Finger pointing is rampant and Fr Cedric Praksh is no exception to this unfortunately.
I dare Fr Cedric Prakash to avail a Cong I ticket from Mehsaana and contest the elections next time around. He will lose the deposit.
I would like to hear from Fr Cedric Praksh, what the government of the day in 1993 should have done. – Dronu Sugam – beloved bro of Sonu Nigam Dronu saaru, Please contact him at the foll address instead of hollering out into the ether and getting no responses. – PRASHANT:A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace, – Near Kamdhenu Hall. Drive-in Road, – Ahmedabad 380 052, Gujarat, India Tel: 79 66522333 /27455913 Fax: 79 27489018 ——————————————————————– You can ALSO ask your Original chaddi balaga bandhu from Yumreeka to “LOOK UP” Fr. Cedric first before he send him a… Read more »
I wonder why our Joker Praveena Pinto is too quick to respond when someone comments on Fr.Prakaasha. However, when I ask him about ‘cartoon’ controversy, he runs away and hides in the same place with our friend Pincode Pai!! smiles…
For strange reason I am not convinced that Yakub Memon was hanged. While I am not completely against death penalty for eg: Kasab or perhaps Nirbhaya Delhi rapists I will not have any remorse for them.
For Yakub Memon I think based on his interview that he voluntarily surrendered or perhaps contemplating surrender in the hope that law would be lenient and ultimately he will be able to clear his name and live a free life. Perhaps he was indirectly involved in some logistical work but may have did it half heartedly.