New Delhi : Ever since 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasav appealed to the Supreme court to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment, a range of reactions are coming in both from India and Pakistan.
Union Law minister Salman Khurshid claimed at an election meeting in Farukkhabad in Uttar Pradesh that Sonia Gandhi cried when she saw the news on TV, a claim refuted by Digvijay Singh. However, Diggy Raja tweeted saying “Kyon, Kasavji, aap humko sharminda kar rahen hai. Hum aapki poori dekhbhaal karenge. Jaise Pakistan ne Osamaji ki ki”.
As if on cue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced that India will give MFN (Most Favoured Non-state actor) status to Kasav. Gujarat chief minister objected to this status conferred on Kasav, asking “now who is the maut ka saudagar? This is an insult to Gujarati asmita since Kasav and other Pakistan terrorists crossed Gujarat waters to reach Mumbai on 26/11.”
Reading out from a prepared statement, External Affairs minister S M Krishna condemned the efforts of terrorists from Spain to stoke terrorist activity in Portugal. “I want to reiterate that the Government of Portugal will not tolerate any attempts by non-state actors from Spain to create mayhem on our soil.”
Union Law minister Kapil Sibal has clarified that is a zero loss proposition for India and that the difference is only notional. Congress General secretary Rahul Gandhi at a press conference said there is a 99 % chance that it will be death sentence and a 1 % chance that it could be commuted to life imprisonment.
Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s probability figure, Pakistan President Asif Zardari has said that he will not accept anything less than 10 per cent. Speaking to PTV, Prime Minister Gilani also said, “Hum yeh hope karte hai ki Hindoostan good gesture ka display karte huwe, Kasav ko good treatment grant karega, taaki uss se Hindustan and Pakistan ke beech relations improve ho sake.”
Disgraced former Satyam chairman Ramalinga Raju had a word of advice for Kasav. “By now he should have figured out some ailment that he is suffering from and get admitted to Breach Candy or Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. This is the problem when people with bad intentions are not well-educated,” he said.
When asked his opinion on the matter, cricket captain M S Dhoni said in Adelaide, “Supreme court should follow a rotation policy. Some months, they should put him in life imprisonment and some months waiting for death sentence. Or they can take the decision at the last minute, like I do all the time.”
(Inspired by a Facebook post by Suresh Dharur)
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