Home minister Rajnath Singh says Rights of a terrorist cannot hold primacy

NEW DELHI: After One and half months terrorist Yakub Memon was hanged due to involving a big bomb blast in 1993 in Mumbai, Home minister Rajnath Singh took a jibe at those opposing his execution as he lamented that some human rights activists raise their voices in favor of terrorists. Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his statement at a meeting of National Human Rights Commission on Friday. Singh said Yakub was hanged after completion of the judicial process. "He was convicted by the highest court of the country - the Supreme Court. But in that case also, some people tried to raise the issue of human rights ... I fail to understand why such things are raised," he said. Memon was hanged on July 30 after his mercy plea was rejected several times but some Memon’s supporters approached the Chief Justice of India well past midnight. Finally The supreme court declared hearing past 2am on July 30. Singh also expressed concern over prisoners languishing in jails for years before the case is decided. "It is a serious matter and we all have to address it. We have already written to the state governments to take necessary action," he said. Expressing concern over human trafficking, he called for detailed Standard Operating Procedures for re-integration, repatriation and rehabilitation of the victims.