'Beautification' of Yakub Memon's grave: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde assures strict action, probe ordered

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has assured strict action in the matter concerning the "beautification" of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon`s grave in the Bada Qabrastan of Mumbai, saying an investigation has been initiated after the order of an inquiry into the matter. The Chief Minister said, "An inquiry has been ordered. The investigation has also been started. Strict actions will be taken against the persons responsible." Mumbai Police has been directed to do a proper inquiry into the matter and submit a report, said an ANI report citing sources in the DCM office. 

Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ram Kadam, however, asked if this was former state Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray`s patriotism to convert the grave of a terrorist into a Mazar after the lighting arrangements at Yakub Memon`s grave were removed from Bada Qabrastan. 

Seeking an apology from Udhav Thackeray in this matter , Ram Kadam told ANI, "The grave of terrorist Yakub Memon who executed the 1993 Bombay bombings at Pakistan`s behest, was converted into a Mazar when Uddhav Thackeray was the CM. Is this his love for Mumbai, patriotism." The BJP MLA also sought an apology from NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. 

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Notably, a major political controversy ignited over the reported `make-over` of Yakub grave at the Bada Qabrastan in south Mumbai on Thursday. IT was a political free-for-all among Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party.

The original earthen grave, where Memon was buried, recently got a face-lift with a gleaming marble grave coming up there. Amid flood-lighting, there were apprehensions that the terrorist`s final resting place would soon become a `mazar` (mausoluem). Acting swiftly, the Mumbai Police on Thursday yanked off the lighting arrangements in Bada Qabrastan this morning.

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NCP`s Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said that there cannot be glorification of any terrorist and the beautification of Memon`s grave should not be permitted.

Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande dismissed the BJP`s allegations and said when Memon was hanged when the BJP government was in power both in the Centre and state, adding "Why did he (Devendra Fadnavis who was then CM of Maharashtra) allow Memon`s body to be handed over to his family? What prevented the BJP government in the Centre and state to formulate a policy on how to deal with the mortal remains of terror convicts or other dreaded criminals." 

Congress Chief spokesperson Atul Londhe also said that during the UPA tenure, two dreaded terrorists were hanged but their bodies were secretly disposed off to prevent their graves from becoming a rallying point in future. While Afzal Guru was executed in February 2013 in the Tihar Jail of Delhi, Pakistani extremist Ajmal Kasab was hanged in Yerawada Central Jail in Pune.

"The BJP -- which was in power then -- deliberately gave Memon`s body to the family for elaborate funerals. Their intention is to create communal divide. Even when the Al-Qaeda terrorist Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces, his body was dumped in the sea," Londhe told IANS.

It may be noted here that Memon was the lone convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, who was sent to the gallows. On March 12, 1993, Mumbai (then Bombay) was rocked by a series of bomb blasts which killed 257 persons, injured more than 700 persons and destroyed property worth approximately Rs 27 crore. 

The case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the request of the state government. A number of accused persons have been convicted in the case including Mustafa Dossa and Abu Salem on June 16, 2017. The attacks were allegedly planned by wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim. 

(With ANI/IANS Inputs)