Thackeray taunts Karkare widow, daughter over stance on Ajmal

Mumbai, Jan 8 (PTI) In a veiled criticism of slain
Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare's wife and
daughter, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has said that the
country does not share their stance that the lone 26/11
terrorist in Mumbai police custody should be let off on
"humanitarian grounds".

"The Karkare family may have a different opinion. But
that is not the opinion of family members of the other
policemen killed in the terror attacks," Thackeray said in an
editorial comment in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"The daughter of Tukaram Ombale, who fell to Mohammed
Ajmal Amir Iman's bullets but ensured that the terrorist was
captured alive, has said that the souls of the 16 policemen
killed in the terror attacks will get peace only if he is
hanged," Thackeray said.

Referring to the slew of media interviews of Kavita
Karkare, the slain ATS chief's wife, Thackeray said she has
quoted her daughter who is studying in London and who feels
that Ajmal should be given another chance to live and realise
what a grave crime he has committed.

"Karkare's daughter should meet Ombale's daughter. We
also respect Karkare's martyrdom and we are expressing our
opinion while respecting Karkare's sacrifice," Thackeray said.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) was formed to counter
terrorists and foil the operation like the one on November 26,
Thackeray said. "But leaving that job aside, Karkare got
entangled in Malegaon blast case," the 82-year-old Sena chief
said.

The way ATS paraded Army officer Prasad Purohit in the
Malegaon case was an attempt to appease Muslims and was done
under political pressure, he said.

Describing Ombale, who held on to the blazing assault
rifle of Ajmal as the "real braveheart", Thackeray said the
policeman had helped catch the "devil" alive while receiving
hail of bullets on his chest.

"Rajiv Gandhi's daughter Priyanka Gandhi wants that
Nalini, sentenced to death in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination
case, be pardoned. The person Nalini killed was not only
Priyanka's father but a former Prime Minister of this country
and 90 others were also killed along with him. Who will pay
for the trauma of families of those 90 people," he said.

"Families of those killed in the terror attacks want
Ajmal to be hanged. Only the Karkares adopted a humanitarian
approach and want to prove that they are "different"," he
said. PTI