INDIA'S MOST abhorrent terrorist, the 26/11 Mumbai attack perpetrator Ajmal Kasab, has moved the Supreme Court against the Mumbai High Court order challenging his death penalty. In the month of May 2010, trail court had sentenced him to death. In India, frustration of citizens is usual, as case is delaying due to one pretext or another while everyone wants him to dangle from a rope right away.

Now, people around the world and in his own country feel that our government doesn’t have the guts to punish him. Our system is in such a pitiable state that our judiciary has become a mockery in the hands of a hard core terrorist, and it is only expert in condemning the attacks. Government worked on our constitution, which is framed on co-existence with all religions, including attackers but no terrorism.

“I am very angry with our system, the way this case is moving, where is site of our fast track court?” said a young professional.

“Government has let down their own people and giving more esteem to this terrorist,” said school student.

“If we see our legal system, it might take at least a decade to hang Kasab,” added medical practitioner.

“There is nothing going to change, if Supreme Court again sentences him death penalty, he has one more lifeline, filling a mercy petition,” said engineering executive from abroad.

But this issue is not going to end here as some human rights organizations are opposing the death penalty on one or more grounds. Some subscribe to the “eye for an eye” or “life for life” philosophy, while others believe that sanctioned death is wrong.   

Government is already spending enormous amount of money to keep Kasab in safe supervision. Besides this, two special cells were created inside Arthur Road jail and JJ hospital. Some weapons for emergency use, vehicles and equipment were procured for security basis. The way the government is incurring expenditure on Kasab, and our legal system is giving him extension, is not acceptable to people of India. Therefore, it only makes sense that people want him to hang immediately.

In my view, Supreme Court should sentence him to dangle right away in public interest, which matters most than our imperfection system. But our government has lack of will to do it as appeasement policy is more important that national interest.