Tahawwur Rana's hanging would be tight slap to Pakistan: Former NSG Commando

New Delhi [India], April 10 (ANI): Surender Singh, former National Security Guard (NSG) commando, part of the operation during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, welcomed the extradition of terror accused Tahawwur Rana, saying that his hanging would be a "tight slap" to Pakistan and terrorism.
"It's a big day for the country. I thank PM Modi, the American President, and the agencies involved in this extradition process. When he is hanged, it will be a tight slap not just on terrorism but also on Pakistan," Singh, now a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said.
Remembering his duty during the rescue operations, Singh narrated that he managed to kill two terrorists and rescued 627 people from the Taj Hotel in Mumbai's Colaba. Acknowledging that journalists covering the incident risked their lives, the former NSG commando pointed out that live coverage "helped" handlers from Pakistan in guiding the terrorists.
He said that five commandos were rushed to the hospital during rescue operations while Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan lost his life.
"They (terrorists) were well-trained, and hence, the marine commandos couldn't enter the Taj Hotel... I killed two terrorists, and we rescued 627 people from the Taj Hotel...Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan lost his life fighting the terrorists, while five other commandos were sent to the hospital after being injured... The journalists were also reporting while risking their lives. However, the live coverage was helping the handlers from Pakistan to guide the terrorists," Singh added.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday lashed out at the Congress for "not doing anything" to punish those involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed 166 people.
Taking a dig at Congress, Goyal argued that the then government did the job of "serving Biryani" to Ajmal Kasab, one of the accused in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve to bring those who attacked the country to justice and ensure that they get punished on Indian land.
"During Congress' time, the terrorists had attacked the very hotel we are standing in. People died here. However, Congress didn't do anything to punish those involved. The one who was caught, Kasab, was also served Biryani. Those who attacked our country...this is PM Modi's resolve to bring them to justice, and they get punished. Every Indian citizen is proud of PM Modi that those involved would be punished on this land," Goyal told ANI.
The Union Minister further lashed out at Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), accusing them of engaging in "appeasement politics" more than the Congress party. Intensifying his attack against the INDIA bloc, Goyal argued that they couldn't think beyond appeasement politics.
"Sanjay Raut will defend a person who is Muslim even if the person is involved in a huge crime. Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena engages in appeasement politics more than Congress. The INDI alliance can't think beyond appeasement politics and doesn't have positive thinking. PM Modi, on the other hand, is ending Naxalism. Similarly, we will not spare terrorists," Goyal added.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Majeed Memon stressed the importance of conducting a "fair trial" just like it happened for Ajmal Kasab, who was given a death sentence for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He said that it was an accomplishment for the country that a "disgusting" terrorist was handed over.
Memom questioned the delay in the extradition of the accused, Tahawwur Rana, leading to delayed justice, saying that the extradition should have happened sooner. Having said that, Memon argued that his extradition remains an "accomplishment" since justice would be served as Rana would face trial in Indian courts for his role in the terror attacks, where innocent people lost their lives.
"This is an accomplishment for us that a disgusting terrorist, who was in hiding, was handed over so that we do justice. The incident (26/11) can't be forgotten because the conspiracy planned by the terrorists occurred in the financial capital of the country...166 people died in the incident, which happened on November 26, 2008," Memon told ANI.
Earlier, speaking at Network 18's Rising Bharat conclave, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Tahawwur Rana's (26/11 Mumbai terror attacks accused) extradition is a very big diplomatic success of the Modi government."
Meanwhile, the Trial court records related to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that were called from Mumbai to Delhi at the end of January, naming Tahawwur Rana and David Coleman Headley as accused, were recently received by the Patiala House Court, as per official sources.
In January, Delhi's Patiala House Court recalled its trial court records related to the Mumbai attacks following an application filed by the NIA requesting their retrieval from Mumbai.
Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people.
Rana's extradition marks a significant step in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
The central government has appointed advocate Narender Mann as a Special Public Prosecutor to conduct the trials and other matters related to the NIA case. (ANI)