By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict upholding the death sentence to Ajmal Kasab in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case and sought its early execution, even as the BJP expressed doubt over the UPA government’s intention to act on the verdict.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid said the verdict was inevitable and the court had reached the obvious conclusion. He said the case had gone through the due process of law.
“Nobody can raise a finger at Indian legal system. (Kasab) was given chance to defend. Many would not have liked this kind of timeline but at the end of the day (it will) give self-assurance that justice is finally being done,” Khurshid told Times Now news channel.
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said punishment to Kasab should be executed quickly.
Party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said the world knew the role of Pakistan in 26/11 terror attack and hoped that the judgment will be implemented soon.
“In this country (India) court does its work. Everyone knows what Kasab has done…Law has taken its own course. Supreme Court has given the judgment and I hope it will be implemented soon,” Alvi said.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the Supreme Court has given an important verdict and has upheld death sentence to Kasab. “(Attack on Mumbai) was attack on India. We welcome the verdict,” he said.
However, he said the country was also remembering the judgment in parliament attack case. Without naming Afzal Guru, who was given death sentence by the Supreme Court in 2001 parliament attack case, Javadekar said the court judgment has not been implemented so far.
“It is unfortunate that till today (Afzal Guru’s) sentence has not been implemented. If we want to fight terrorism properly, there should be a quick decision,” Javadekar said.
BJP MP Balbir Punj also expressed apprehension over the government implementing the verdict on Kasab.
“Now court has given its decision, I doubt United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government will be able to implement the verdict,” Punj said.
Home Secretary R.K. Singh said no mercy petition has been filed by Kasab.
The Supreme Court Wednesday upheld the death sentence to Ajmal Kasab, the only Pakistani terrorist caught alive after the 26/11 Mumbai strike that claimed 166 lives.
“We are constrained to hold that the death penalty is the only sentence that can be given in the circumstances of the case,” the apex court bench of Justice Aftab Alam and Justice C.K. Prasad said.
Kasab, one of the 10 Pakistanis who sneaked into Mumbai on the night of Nov 26, 2008, for a terror siege of the city that ended Nov 29 afternoon, had moved the apex court challenging the death sentence by a trial court, which was later upheld by the Bombay High Court.