I can visualize a bright future for Ajmal,the terrorist caught in Mumbai attack. He is in his early twenties. He is not looking so bad. An Okayish appearance. Mark my words. Soon after all this hullabulla about Mumbai attack calms down, all the self proclaimed human right activists will plunge into action. They will shout at the top of their voice about how Ajmal is losing his hair due to the trauma he is undergoing,how police is torturing him. All our 24*7 journalists will rush to his house and report how his family is struggling without him. They forget that there are millions of families struggling for their daily bread. And after all these emotional dramas finally gets over and when date for death sentence draws near there will be a plethora of intellectuals’ views in our revered Hindu daily. There you can find many fashion statements regarding capital punishment. “None has the authority to kill anyone”(Why dont you guys jump in front of terrorists and tell these words when they were in action?Come on. Mumbai attack was going on for three days. You had ample time to reach Taj and enlighten the terrorists with these words) “Society is responsible for this crime”(Oh God! Really? So its me and all of my society. Hang all of us eh?) “All men are born good” (”Shall we erect statue for everyone?”) There will be loads of such things. (You dont believe me? Refer to The Hindu during Dananjay’s execution) Its astonishing to see how people can act as Buddha when their safety is not affected. Even after this if the guy is hanged there will be a great sympathy wave for him. Dailies will flash the news of his execution along with his wailing family. Sandeep….Kalaskar…. People will never remember these names by then.(How many of us remember the military guys who lost their lives in parliament attack. Afzal is a household name now. Thanks to the media.)

Even if he escapes execution there is an interesting future for him. Say, If he comes out after 20 years he would be forty by then. Not too old. Who knows? He might become a bollywood star. (Remember Ram Gopal Varma visited Taj along with VilasRao DeshMukh) He might play the role of terrorist. He will have a heart breaking childhood. He will struggle and bring milk for the babies trapped inside the hotel. He will save a beautiful damsel from his accomplice. Sandeep,Kalaskar… all these martyrs will be villains in this film trying to gun down the brave hero. Director is telling the story in a different perspective. Anybody dare to oppose it again there is a group to shout about freedom,creativity etc etc. So there comes a block buster.

Few years later he might pen down his autobiography. There will be some publishers competing to buy his work. The famous author Ajmal might be even having a book reading session in Taj! Twenty years from now my kids will be asking me curiously about this mumbai attack and notorious Ajmal. No matter how hard I might try to express the current sentiments and emotions they can never feel it. For them it will be a story of this poor guy Ajmal trapped by some insensitive commandos.

PS: I totally subscribe to the view that society plays a pivotal role in the creation of terrorists. I too was deeply hurt when I read about this guy’s background and the promise that he got from the terrorist outfit that his family will be rewarded with 1.25 lakhs. These terrorists and all anti social elements are the symptoms of serious problems such as poverty,illiteracy,exploitation and ignorance.So long term solution for tackling terror must be different. Poverty must be eradicated. There is no great value in economic progress. It should be an inclusive progress.Most imporatntly,there must be a check on government officials(including military and police) who exploit the vulnerable people and push them in the hands of anti social elements. Government and We,the people should make earnest efforts for it. But letting someone free based on this reason will only encourage the other vulnerable youth to choose the path of terror.