New Delhi: Welcoming the Supreme Court verdict upholding the death sentence of Ajmal Kasab in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case, BJP on Wednesday demanded execution of the Pakistani terrorist at the earliest.
“Those who wage war against the country and kill innocents deserve no mercy. … Kasab should be hanged without any delay … enough of biryani for him,” BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters here.
Describing Pakistan as “a terror factory”, he said the government “must take all steps to destroy” terror infrastructure. Naqvi also sought a separate set of laws to deal with terror-related cases. “No leniency should be shown against this kind of a terrorist. They have tried to destroy the peace of the nation, so he (Kasab) should be hanged as fast as possible,” he said.
BJP leader Balbir Punj, however, expressed apprehension as to whether the verdict will be implemented by the UPA government, which he accused of playing “vote-bank politics”.
Punj charged the Congress-led UPA government with not having the courage to even carry out the earlier court order of hanging Afzal Guru, who has been charged with waging a war against India.
“I doubt whether the UPA-II government which is guided by vote bank politics, will be able to implement the court decision,” Punj said.
He said, “We shouldn’t forget that Afzal Guru, who was guilty of waging a war against the State of India, was found guilty by every judicial forum of having attacked Parliament.
“He is still waiting to be executed and the government just doesn’t have the courage to carry on with the sentence pronounced by the highest court.”
Even Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict upholding the death sentence of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab and demanded the sentence be executed at the earliest.
“I welcome the apex court’s verdict and will ask the Centre to ensure that it is implemented as soon as possible,” Patil said.
The entire international community was watching the outcome of the case, the minister told reporters.
“Our agencies were successful in highlighting the role of terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba,” he said. On the apex court upholding the acquittal of two Indians, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, who were alleged to be co-conspirators in the Mumbai terror attack case, Patil said he would seek legal advice on the matter.
“The terror plot was hatched in Pakistan. This was an attack on the country. Innocents were killed. In a way, it was a war waged against India,” Patil said.
Referring to the issue of mercy petition, Patil said, “This is a different case. The central government needs to look at it differently. The sentence should be carried out soon.”
Patil lauded the role played by senior IPS officer Rakesh Maria and his team, the Crime Branch, ATS and other state and Central agencies in the case.
State Congress president Manikrao Thakre also welcomed the Supreme Court order.
NCP state president Madhukar Pichad said the Supreme Court upholding the High court verdict shows that the investigations were conducted properly.
“The death sentence is the appropriate punishment for the crime committed by Kasab. It was not an ordinary crime but an attack on our country. The punishment should be executed at the earliest,” Pichad said.
Also, the Mumbai Crime Branch, which probed the 26/11 terror attack case, on Wednesday termed as an “important milestone” the Supreme Court verdict upholding death sentence of Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab.
“The Supreme Court’s judgement is an important milestone in the fight against terrorism,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy told reporters. On the role of Pakistan, the crime branch chief said, “Abu Jundal’s interrogation further reveals role of Pakistan in exporting terror to our country and his links with LeT”.
Jundal, suspected to be one of the key 26/11 handlers, was deported to India by Saudi Arabia and is currently in police custody in connection with the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case. “Crime Branch is collecting very strong evidence against Jundal,” Roy said.
“Those martyrs who laid down their lives to nab Kasab should be given a tribute on Wednesday,” he said.
“Without them (martyrs) nabbing Kasab, his conviction would not have been possible,” Roy said. (PTI)