NCP leader Jayant Patil slams BJP for granting permissions to build Yakub Memon's grave

Jayant Patil. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Amid the ongoing controversy around the "beautification" of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon's grave in the Bada Qabrastan of Mumbai, Nationalist Congress Party leader Jayant Patil on Friday jibed at the Bharatiya Janata Party and said that the permissions to build the grave were granted during BJP's rule.

"It's important to see during whose tenure permission was granted to build his grave. His grave was built when BJP was in power at the Centre and also in Maharashtra. They (BJP) are responsible for it," said NCP State President Jayant Patil.

His remarks came after a matter of the beautification of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon's grave in the Bada Qabrastan of Mumbai came to the fore on September 8.

Also read: Yakub Memon grave beautification: CM Eknath Shinde assures 'strict action'

Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said that 1993 Mumbai blast convict Yakub Memon is an accused in the Bombay Blast and cannot be glorified after the row pertaining to the latter's grave beautification emerged.

While talking to the media persons in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Memon said, "Yakub Memon is an accused in Bombay Blast, cannot be glorified. We won't accept this or let it happen. I have informed BMC and Mumbai Police about it, the Home Ministry will take appropriate action."

Earlier on Thursday, Shinde assured strict action concerning the "beautification" of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon's grave in the Bada Qabrastan of Mumbai.

The Chief Minister had said that an investigation has been initiated after the order of an inquiry into the matter.

"An inquiry has been ordered. The investigation has also been started. Strict actions will be taken against the persons responsible," Shinde had said.

Meanwhile, according to the sources in the DCM office, the Mumbai Police has been directed to do a proper inquiry into the matter and also submit a report.

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

"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?," said BJP MLA Ram Kadam seeking Thackeray's apology in the matter.

He had also sought an apology from NCP's Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

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 were convicted in the case including Mustafa Dossa and Abu Salem on June 16, 2017. Wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim allegedly planned the attacks.

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