Why hanging Memon and Kasab was the right thing to do?

"Today is a significant day.
Two souls will be buried.
Both Muslims: For one even Hindus will cry; for the other even Muslims would rejoice.
Both involved with weapons/missiles: One made us raise our heads in pride and the other hangs his head in shame.
One had a vision and the other was on a misplaced mission.
Scores of people are lining to pay tributes to one man and scores of people wanted another man to hang.
One was the president and the other waited for justice from President.
Strange are the ways of life!!!"

Read this today morning and although it touched my heart because of the undeniable comparison between Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and Yakub Memon; but I could not help thinking how many people are against Yakub Memon's hanging all in the name of humanity.

I have not followed Yakub Memon's case very closely in the sense that I have not followed each and every write-space and airtime being given to him. Still at the risk of sounding somewhat like Salman Khan who blatantly proved his ignorance by tweeting senselessly on the issue, I choose to take a stand opposite of Salman.

I have always stood for humanity myself and I'm also aware that so many people I admire, like Dr. Kalam himself who was referenced above, have openly stood against capital punishment. But, I still choose to support capital punishment and death penalty although I feel that it should not be overused and should be saved for rarest of rare cases and crimes that put all humanity to shame. So, with that view, I do support death penalty for Yakub Memon, Ajmal Kasab and the culprits in the 16th December gangrape case.

Memon cried a day before his hanging when he met his brother and cousin. Kasab was unusually quiet and offered prayers. I wonder did they feel this remorse when they did those ghastly crimes against humanity?

The 1993 Bombay bombings were a series of 13 bomb explosions that took place in Mumbai on 12 March, 1993. The coordinated attacks were the most destructive bomb explosions in Indian history. This was first of its kind serial-bomb-blasts across world. The single-day attacks resulted in over 350 fatalities and 1200 injuries. These bombs were assembled in Yakub Memon's house and he himself handled 85 grenades. He might not have been the mastermind of the killings but he was fully aware of the implications and willingly participated in them. Arguments that he turned himself in (which is again debatable) and participated and assisted in the court case seem frugal compared to the loss of lives and the ruining of families of the deceased and injured. These families will never be the same.

Let's also give a thought to the 26/11 Mumbai attack. They were planned and directed by Lashkar-e-Taiba militants inside Pakistan, and carried out by 10 young armed men trained and sent to Mumbai and directed from inside Pakistan via mobile phones and VoIP. At least 164 victims (civilians and security personnel) and nine attackers were killed in the attacks. Among the dead were 28 foreign nationals from 10 countries. The bodies of many of the dead hostages showed signs of torture or disfigurement. A number of those killed were notable figures in business, media, and security services. Ajmal Kasab was the only attacker arrested alive by police. Much of the information about the attackers' preparation, travel, and movements came from his confessions to the Mumbai police. No doubt he was a small pawn in a big game but then the technology is so advanced now that the masterminds are never at the forefront. They are the puppeteers who work in the background. That does not, however, mean that Kasab was blissfully unaware of what he was doing and was in a trance or was hypnotised by someone to kill and maim people on that fateful day. He knowingly did what he did.

The supporters of Memon and Kasab who support mercy for them should explain using any other argument than 'humanity' to argue why they shouldn't have been hanged. For these people killed humanity with their actions and do not deserve the same as an argument for mercy.

And the argument that their mercy petitions were not given 'adequate consideration' is so silly that even SC rejected it by saying that there was no "legal fallacy" in the issuance of death warrant by the TADA court in Mumbai. The apex court had set up the three-judge bench on Tuesday after a two-judge bench had delivered a split verdict on the petition of Memon who had sought a stay of his execution scheduled for July 30. Following the disagreement between justice Dave and justice Joseph on the issue, the matter was referred to Chief Justice of India HL Dattu who constituted a larger bench of justice Misra, justice Prafulla C Pant and justice Amitava Roy to decide the destiny of Memon. The bench also rejected the contention of Memon that all legal remedies were not exhausted, including the issue of clemency, saying that the President had rejected his mercy petition on April 11, 2014 which was communicated to him on May 26, 2014. Let us also not forget that the apex court has gone through all evidences and arguments and then awarded him a death sentence which means that his crime has been established beyond doubt. How much more consideration is expected? And to top it up, the SC convened this bench at 2:00 am at night which is really going out-of-the-way to give him an ear-time.

And a last note that I want to add is that PLEASE LET US NOT MAKE THIS A RELIGIOUS ISSUE. So if Muslims contend that in such and such cases death penalties were not granted to Hindus, I want to make them face the reality that SC had reasons to believe that this person deserved one and they didn't. Also, please be reminded that more Muslims died than Hindus in the Bombay Bomb Blasts and the communal riots that followed. If you want to talk brethren-ship with Memon for being a Muslim, please spare a thought also for those Muslims who died because of Memon. 

RIP Mr. APJ Abdul Kalam

I can write many paragraphs in obituary to this great man who inspired generations and ignited millions of minds. But no matter how many words I use, they will always fall short of what deserves to be said about him. Very few people are there in the world who only have all the people loving them and respecting them and not a single person hating them. Sir, you are one of those rare gems who is universally revered.

I read this tribute to Mr. APJ Abdul Kalam. I do feel that it easily resounds how I felt about the news of his demise. So, instead of filling this space with meaningless words, I will just reproduce these here. RIP!

On getting the sad news, we cry a tear,
As if you were some one close and dear.
Never met, never been close,
But why then do I feel this loss?
Is it because you lived for us?
A rare breed by far thus.
Your thinking high, your living sober.
Leading by example, never an empty talker.
In our world full of dirty leaders, you shine so bright.
Your thoughts, words and deeds are indeed a light.
For our generation you are an inspiration,
A ray of hope in a sea of desperation.
Above politics and worldly gains but full of passion.
You will live in the hearts of our generation.

- Anonymous

Log kya kahenge?

India is country where society is the biggest governing factor – even more that the politics and religion. We often blame our ‘culture’ and ‘religion’ for imposing anything and everything. Intercaste marriages; love marriages; same sex marriages; all of them are questioned. A man or woman deciding to stay single; a couple deciding not to have a child of their own or to adopt one; a girl choosing not get married at what is often described as ‘the appropriate age’ (generally referred to any number between 18 and 25); are always questioned. Single mothers; women working till late hours (often described as career-minded women); girls going out at night (with or without guys) or wearing clothes of their choice; a student opting for a career of his / her own choice; even someone getting a divorce; all face the same question.

“Log kya kahenge? (What will the people say?)”

All of us have for any of the above reasons or even for other basic simple harmless decisions in life have faced this big question sometimes from family members, sometimes from neighbours, sometimes even from strangers who know nothing about who we are and where we are from. Random people on the streets happily pass judgements on you basis how you dress, how you walk; how you talk and simply basis how you choose to be. And everyone is worried about these strangers; worried about what will they say?

Does that surprise me? Surprisingly, not as much as it should. We all have grown up worrying about these people and our lives have become so entwined in this question about what will these people say that we unquestioningly abide by the norms and fences we have created around ourselves supposedly to ensure that we do not give these people the reason to say something at all.

But what does surprise me is that when rapes happen; eve teasing happens; children are abused; women are harassed and tortured; female foeticide is rampantly practised; brides are burned; people openly ask for dowry and even go to the extent of killing women for it; when honour killings happen; when children are forced into labour; when even elite society and middle class educated people force their children to adopt a certain career; when people are discriminated on the basis of castes; when capability and ability is suppressed on pretext or reservations; when there is a lack of even basic sanitation facilities for the public; when people openly fuel corruption at all levels; and when people fail to respect females or even other human beings; then “ye log kyun kuchh nahin kehte? (why these people do not speak up?)”

Why is there no fear of the society for doing something wrong when there is always a fear of the society for doing something right?

Parents: Rights and obligations!

In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court recently has said that an unwed mother in India can become the sole legal guardian of a child without the consent of the father. This has sparked a debate on social media about the rights of the biological father when he does not marry the mother of his child for some reason.

I came across a gentleman who not only disagreed with the judgement but felt that irrespective of the situation, a biological father should have rights on the child and the mother should not only keep him updated but also take all important decisions related to the child in “consultation”. I felt just so angry listening to his views no matter how politely they were rendered. They were seething of male chauvinism. A man may choose not to fulfil any of his responsibilities but he still should enjoy the rights.

Also, I feel that Supreme Court should take a similar stand in case of divorced / separated parents where one parent, especially fathers, ceases to fulfil his / her duties. The schools, passport offices, government institutions still insist on Biological father's details in school even if the father has had nothing to do with the child, either socially or financially. They even insist on stating those details on ID Cards, Report Cards etc. as a permanent reminder to the child that he/she has a father who doesn't care at all for him/her. And let me tell you as a single mother of an 8-year old child whose father last saw her when she was 1 and half years old that it is very very frustrating for the child.

I firmly believe that one does not become a parent just by giving birth to a child. And mind you, I say parent and not father because this equally applies to both father and mother. A parent becomes a parent by living, breathing and existing as a parent - by providing the child with love, care, emotional and physical security, the sense of belongingness and the confidence of a support and a strong foundation. That's what makes adoptive parents as parents. And if biological parents cannot provide their child with that, they should have no right as a parent.

Addendum: July 2016

Recently, Delhi High Court ruled that a mother who is single-handedly bringing up her children can have their passports made without the father's name. However, the particulars of the case were very specific where the father of the child had abandoned the mother and child even before the birth of the child. The mother had since got all papers (birth certificate, school admission, etc.) done without fathers name. As it happens with all court judgements, the same is applied to only cases with exactly same circumstances.

However, there are still single parents (mostly mothers but also assume some fathers) who are in a similar situation where they are single-handedly bringing up their children without any presence (emotional, physical, social or financial) of the other parent in the child's life who are struggling to get the other parent's name off an existing passport. There is a plea to the government to modify the rules to accommodate such requests. Please sign the petition. It is a very genuine request more from the children rather than the parents. Every single parent child has a right to be associated with the parent who stood by him / her, be it the mother and the father.