HYDERABAD: Sticking to his guns, MIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday asserted that the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts convict Yakub Memon was involved in the blast but does not deserve capital punishment. He said Memon had to face the gallows because he has no ‘political backing.’
Hours after Supreme Court rejected the mercy plea of Memon on Wednesday, Owaisi told reporters here on Wednesday that there was no political support for the former as in the case of killers of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh.
“There was no political support whatsoever to Memon. In fact, the then PV Narsimha Rao government had deceived him,” he alleged and observed that the Akal Dal and Tamil parties had come to the rescue of assassins of Beant Singh and Rajiv Gandhi respectively.
Stating that there would not be any mitigation of sorrow for the victims of 1993 Mumbai if Yakub Memon is executed, he said: “If capital punishment given by the courts of law can bring closure to the innocent victims of the bomb blast then I demand that capital punishment should also be given for the original sin - of destruction and demolition of Babri Masjid.”
Throwing his weight behind Yakub Memon, the MIM leader lamented: “Memon who had actually surrendered himself to the investigators, and co-operated in establishing the real perpetrators - Tiger Memon and ISI- is being hanged.”
The MIM chief expressed shock over Mumbai and Maharashtra police for singling out and holding the Muslim community responsible for maintaining law and order in the state.
“It is surprising to see police telling Muslim leaders to maintain peace. But, the appeal should be made to everyone, irrespective of religion and political affiliation,” he added.