Just laws

Sir — Now that the Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the government should ensure that the punishment is carried out at the earliest (“Court upholds death for Kasab”, Aug 30). One should not forget that Kasab had waged war against India and was responsible, directly and indirectly, for the death of hundreds of people.The government should speed up all existing procedures to ensure justice to the victims and their families. Doing so would send out a strong signal to the terrorists that they cannot create havoc in India by spreading panic at regular intervals and killing innocents.

Yours faithfully,
Ambar Mallick, Calcutta

Sir — In the Anuj Bidve shooting case in the United Kingdom, the trial was completed within months and the sentence was announced quickly. However, India continues to delay carrying out Ajmal Kasab’s death sentence years after the Mumbai attacks, although there were many eyewitnesses to Kasab’s killing spree as well as CCTV footages showing him shooting bewildered people without any compunction.

Even now, after the Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence, he cannot be hanged until all “legal options are exhausted”. Kasab can file a review petition with the top court and a mercy plea with the governor or the president if he wants.

Yours faithfully,
S. Kamat, Bardez, Goa

Sir — While the Supreme Court of India has rightly upheld the death sentence passed against Ajmal Kasab, the 25-year-old terrorist from Pakistan involved in the Mumbai killings, my heart goes out to this young boy who has been brainwashed by Islamic radicals in Pakistan. The latter misguide youths like Kasab to kill unsuspecting people by interpreting the verses of the holy book of Islam, the Quran, in a twisted manner. This happens due to a lack of proper education. Poverty, hunger and unemployment also play an important part in making youngsters fall into the trap set by terrorist groups.

Now that the final judgment has been delivered, it remains to be seen whether the president, Pranab Mukherjee, changes Kasab’s death sentence to life imprisonment or goes with the decision of the Supreme Court. In all fairness, Kasab should be hanged at the earliest. Kasab has never shown any remorse for the heinous act he committed — a fact which was emphasized by the judges.

Kasab’s case is also a classic example of the fairness, transparency and patience of the Indian judicial system, which provides full opportunity to an accused to defend himself until he is proven guilty.

Yours faithfully,
S. Balakrishnan, Jamshedpur

Sir — The upholding of the death sentence given to Ajmal Kasab, a foreign national who went on a murderous rampage in Mumbai along with his Lashkar-e-Toiba associates on November 26, 2008, not only upholds the rule of law in India but also proves the fairness of India’s judicial system. Kasab was given a fair trial and he still has a chance to file a review petition with the top court. However, it took the judiciary nearly four years to uphold the death sentence. In the meantime, nearly Rs 25 crore has been spent on Kasab.

Indian officials and the press are disturbed at the nagging suspicion that Kasab’s associates, allegedly in prisons in Pakistan, have not been brought to trial there.

Yours faithfully,
K.V. Raman, Mumbai

Sir — The Mumbai terrorist attacks had shocked the nation and the people have been waiting for justice all this while. The bench of judges comprising Aftab Alam and C.K. Prasad of the Supreme Court confirmed the death penalty given to Ajmal Kasab, the prime accused in the case of the Mumbai terror attacks.

This judgment, which came just before the fourth anniversary of arguably the ghastliest terror attack on Indian soil, will bring some solace to the families that lost their dear ones in this incident. Kasab was a a poor and uneducated youth who fell prey to the terrorists but the way in which he committed this horrible act deserved the rarest of rare punishments. He should be hanged as early as possible after all the legal formalities have been cleared.

Yours faithfully,
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad

Parting shot

Sir — The clandestine trade in country liquor, run by some ruffians in the disguise of traders, has been a menace for a long time. A section of grassroot-level political leaders, criminals and businessmen are involved in the crime. The callousness of the police and the administration is also to be blamed for the continuing evil. Poor people are the targets of the trade and are its worst victims. The government must close these shops. That will stop people from getting access to spurious liquor.

Yours faithfully,
Samir Chakraborty, Howrah