'Rejoicing doesn't make sense, there's more to it'

While social networking sites were flooded with opinions of all and sundry over LeT terrorist Ajmal Qasab's execution, either celebrating or denouncing it, a series of tweets posted by one man put the incident in sharp perspective.

If anything, Ashish Chowdhry reserves the right to feel a sense of vindication over the hanging - after all, the well-knownactor lost his sister and brother-in-law to the 26/11 carnage.

But far from expressing joy, the actor tweeted that he was in no mood to celebrate the hanging, reminding others that Qasab was merely ‘brainwashed' and ‘driven to kill in the name of God'.

He tweeted, "Why should I rejoice Qasab's death? I will rejoice when they stop teaching little innocent children to kill in the name of God and religion."

The actor pointed out that Qasab's actions were the result of indoctrination, tweeting, "Ignorance gave different faces to God, who in my view is one. Hence, religion too is one. And that religion is humanity. Qasab was not taught that."

He went so far as to say that he sympathised with the militant, whose innocence was blighted by forces greater than him. "He also was once a small innocent baby, like my son. But unfortunately born around wrong people and wrong teachings," he tweeted.

Echoing the sentiment of many who believe that the execution will do little to vanquish the scourge of terrorism, he pointed out, "I just feel that rejoicing, or feeling completion doesn't make sense. There's more to it."
On November 26, 2011, Ashish's sister and brother-in-law were held hostage and killed while having dinner at the Oberoi hotel, one of the targets of the terrorists.

Chowdhry's tweets provided a sobering counterpoint to those who have been rejoicing since the execution was announced early yesterday.

"In these four years of awaiting and looking upon Qasab's sentence, I can bet lakhs of new Qasabs were born. Problem lies there. Rejoice when that stops."

He appeared determined not to continue Qasab's legacy of violence, saying, "I will not teach my children to rejoice anyone's death? be it Qasab. They will learn to be non-vindictive, non-fanatical and will love all."u00a0