Venkaiah Naidu slams those against Yakub Memon death sentence

NEW DELHI: Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today criticised the tendency among certain sections to view terrorism cases through the prism of religion, and asked if they wanted "reservation in hanging also".

Speaking at an event organised by BJP youth wing Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Naidu said that on the day of burial of former President A P J Abdul Kalam, a section of the media was "glorifying" Yakub Memon.

Naidu said that there were reports about what he ate and what he wore. How could there be sympathy for such a person? Naidu asked, and added that the country should be united and firm against terrorism.

A terrorist, he said, has no religion.

Rejecting the contention that those belonging to a particular community faced capital punishment more, Naidu suggested that in the face of actual data such perceptions would be belied.

"In the recent past, 36 people were hanged. Maqbool Bhatt, Afzal Guru, (Ajmal) Kasab and Yakub Memon... All others are there, I don't want to name the community," Naidu said, in an apparent reference to the Hindu convicts who have been hanged during the period.

Emphasising his point further that terrorist cases should not be viewed as per religious lines, he asked, "Do you want reservation in hanging also?"

The Union minister said that the point of the view of the victims should also be kept in the mind.

The lone Mumbai blasts case convict, Yakub Memon, was hanged on July 30.