BJP welcomes govt's decision to reject Kasab's mercy plea

New Delhi, Oct 23: The

on Tuesday, Oct 23 welcomed the Home Ministry's decision to reject 26/11 convict

's mercy petition and demanded that he be hanged at the earliest to send across a stern message to terrorists and

sponsors.

"We welcome this decision of the government against Kasab. It should be implemented immediately now that the Home Ministry has rejected his mercy plea. Doing so will send a strong message to Pakistan and to those who sponsor terrorism like ISI, LeT and others," BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

Kasab, the lone surviving member of the terror squad that attacked Mumbai on 26/11, had filed the petition after the Supreme Court gave him a death sentence. The Home Ministry's rejection has been sent to Rashtrapati Bhavan. "Kasab is the country's enemy and had conspired against India. He should be hanged," Naqvi said. The BJP has often alleged that the Congress-led UPA government is soft on terror and is playing minority appeasement politics by delaying the hanging of Kasab and Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

PTI