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Yakub Memon’s Hanging Raised Many Questions, But There Is One That Haunts The Nation

byShubhi Dixit
30th July 2015
3 minute read

Yakub Memon’s death is all that the nation has been talking about since yesterday. While NGO’s and human right activists are being labeled as anti-nationals for expecting mercy for the life of someone who was responsible in the loss of hundreds of life in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, the majority of nation is rejoicing the decision taken by the court.

The night of July 29, 2015, saw an unprecedented event when Supreme Court Of India opened its door at midnight to hear the appeal of postponing Yakub’s hanging by 14 days.

The bench consisting of Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Prafulla C Pant and Justice Amitava Roy rejected Memon’s plea seeking 14 days’ time before the execution of his death sentence is carried out.

The hearing lasted for 90 minutes post which the bench rejected the plea stating that the petitioner did not raise any question when the mercy plea filed by his brother was rejected by the president.

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On Wednesday, President Pranab Mukherji rejected the mercy plea filed by Yakub Memon himself stating the fact that no new argument was filed by him and he had been given enough time and ample opportunities to present his stand in front of the Apex court.

Then why did he file for a midnight hearing?

Because as per Memon’s lawyers and activists supporting him, in another judgement by the Supreme Court, the decision cited that the petitioner can’t be hanged for at least 14 days after the rejection of his mercy plea. They also mentioned the Maharashtra prison manual which states that there must be a seven-day gap between the rejection of the mercy plea and the execution which was not followed in this case.

After all was said, the time came for the action. And on the morning of July 30, 2015, a little before 7 am, Yaqub Memon was hanged. This day also happens to be his birthday. Such is the irony of life.

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His body was handed over to his family and a funeral was allowed on the condition that it will be a low-key affair and no construction will be done on the spot. A funeral procession was also declared for security reasons. The body was flown to Mumbai along with the family members and a tight security is maintained in Mumbai. The Bara Kabristan area in Mumbai where the funeral will take place has been guarded with top security.

A total of 405 people have been detained so far by the Mumbai police under various preventive provisions. The government is afraid that the overwhelming outrage of people might take a defensive form and hence all possible security measures are being taken.

The internet is filled with people supporting it and with people who are voicing their opinions against it. Many renowned names like Shashi Tharoor have tweeted against the Supreme Court’s decision.

 

 

Amidst all the breaking news, there is one question that is haunting many in the country,

Both Dr. APJ Kalam and Yakub Memon will be buried today,
Both of them were well educated,
Both of them had seen a tough time of struggle,
Then how did one turn out to be a terrorist whose life people demanded and the other turned out to be a teacher whose death people still can’t accept?

Editor’s note:

We’re not sympathizing with the hanging of Yakub Memon, who rightfully paid the price of his deeds. Terrorists should not be spared. This article does not question the capital punishment meted out, it challenges us to think by contrasting the extremes: what makes a terrorist?

It’s a rhetorical question. It’s food for thought.

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