The hanging of Yaqub Memon in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blasts early Thursday morning evoked widespread condemnation from Kashmir’s pro-freedom camp while Kashmiris, mostly youth, took to social media sites to give vent to their anger over the execution.
The mainstream parties, barring independent MLA Er Abdur Rashid who took out a protest rally in Lal Chowk here—maintained silence over the issue.
The Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman and veteran separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani said Memon was “executed for being a member of minority community.”
“Voices within India are being raised, questioning the legality of sending him to the gallows,” said Geelani, in a statement.
He expressed dismay over the manner in which trial of Menon was held.
Memon was sent to gallows early this morning in a Nagpur jail after the Supreme Court rejected his mercy plea.
“The hanging (of Memon) is against all humanitarian norms and principles of justice,” a spokesman of Hurriyat Conference (M) said in a statement.
He said Muhammad Afzal Guru, who was convicted in Parliament attack case, and Muhammad MaqboolBhat, founder of JKLF, too were hanged in Tihar jail “while ignoring all fundamental principles of justice and fair play.”
“The death sentence has still not been carried out in the case of assailants of late prime minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi. After hanging YakubMemon, it appears that the persons belonging to a particular community are being selectively chosen for carrying out the death sentence,” the spokesman said.
“How does it serve purpose of justice to put to death a person for the only reason of his belonging to a particular community when as per government of India agencies he (Menon) had cooperated and helped in investigation of Mumbai blasts case?” the spokesman said.
Sympathizing with Memon family, Dukhtaran-e-MillatchiefSyedaAasiyaAndrabi said “Memon became the fresh victim of communal mindset.”
In a statement, Andrabi said the “big sin of YaqoobMemon in the eyes of Indian majority and its government, was that he was a Muslim.”
Memon, she said, was hanged despite many voices being raised even within India against his hanging.
“The hanging of Memon has reminded us of the pain of Afzal Guru who too was illegally hanged to satisfy the collective conscience of India,” she said.
Situation in the summer capital of Srinagar and across Kashmir remained usual as the news about the hanging broke out on news channels and social media networks early Thursday morning.
Kashmiris, mostly youth, took to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to vent their anger against the “injustice”.
“#Indians celebrating YaqboobMemon’s death # Celebrations on in Nagpur and many other places.#,” wrote Khalid Ahmad on his Facebook page.
His FB friend WasimHussain responded: “Yaqoob sent to gallows on his Birthday… and now bail to Maya Kodnani. Can this be a mere coincidence?”
As time passed, more and more Kashmiris joined the debate on the social media sites over the hanging of Memon.
“At 6:35 am today, India pays tributes to Jinnah,” mentioned Shafaat Ahmad on his FB page.
AatifHussain of Islamabad (Anantnag) asked people to join funeral prayers in absentia of Memon tomorrow after Friday prayers at local Eidgah.
“Everyone iz requested to come,” he wrote on Facebook.
