Congress’ Shashi Tharoor, Mani Shankar Aiyar & BJP's Babul Supriyo oppose Yakub Memon’s execution

NEW DELHI: Yakub Memon’s execution has triggered a row on death penalty, with Congress’ Shashi Tharoor and Mani Shankar Aiyar opposing death penalty, a line the party distanced itself from. Tharoor wrote in his blog, “state-sponsored killing diminishes us all to murderers too.”

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh added fuel to the fire by asking for “similar commitment of government and judiciary… in all cases of terror irrespective of their caste creed and religion.”

BJP slammed the Congress for divergent views, with finance minister Arun Jaitley saying “they should have spoken in one voice on an issue like national security. We expect the Congress will once again review its negative and irresponsible behaviour”.

However, Jaitley’s colleague, urban development minister Babul Supriyo, said that he was against capital punishment.

At least Left leaders were united in their views: CPI’s D Raja and CPM’s Brinda Karat spoke against death penalty. D Raja’s resolution demanding a ban on death penalty is slated for discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.