ID :
204646
Wed, 08/31/2011 - 21:41
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/204646
The shortlink copeid
BJP calls Omar's remarks on Afzal Guru unfortunate
New Delhi, Aug 31 (PTI) India's principal opposition
party BJP Wednesday termed as "unfortunate" north Indian state
of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's comments
on Afzal Guru and maintained that a responsible leader like
him should not speak the "language" of Hurriyat leaders.
Abdullah had tweeted that if J and K Assembly had passed
a resolution against the death sentence given to Afzal Guru as
was done by the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu Assembly for
the killers of Rajiv Gandhi, the reaction would not have been
as muted as it is now.
Guru is on death row and the Union Ministry of Home
Affairs has recommended to President Pratibha Patil that the
mercy petition filed on behalf of Guru, a Parliament attack
convict, be rejected.
"This is a sensitive issue and Omar Abdullah's comments
on it are unfortunate. Had a Hurriyat leader made such remarks
it was understandable but a responsible chief minister should
not have said so. At a time when the Supreme Court has already
given the death sentence, raking up this debate is
unfortunate," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
Another party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad insisted
that any person who seeks to break India's sovereignty and
integrity or kills a former Prime Minister and given a death
sentence should be executed.
"BJP is clearly of the view that all those who have
been given capital punishment after due process of law,
including confirmation by the Supreme Court and whose clemency
plea has been rejected by the President, then the capital
punishment should be executed," he said. Prasad insisted there is a need to understand that
capital punishment is given in the rarest of rare cases.
"All those who are involved in terrorist activities or
in attacking the sovereignty and integrity of India or killing
a former Prime Minister of India certainly fall in this
category," he said.
He maintained that integrity and unity of the country
is far bigger than a party or political divide and there is a
need to understand this.
party BJP Wednesday termed as "unfortunate" north Indian state
of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's comments
on Afzal Guru and maintained that a responsible leader like
him should not speak the "language" of Hurriyat leaders.
Abdullah had tweeted that if J and K Assembly had passed
a resolution against the death sentence given to Afzal Guru as
was done by the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu Assembly for
the killers of Rajiv Gandhi, the reaction would not have been
as muted as it is now.
Guru is on death row and the Union Ministry of Home
Affairs has recommended to President Pratibha Patil that the
mercy petition filed on behalf of Guru, a Parliament attack
convict, be rejected.
"This is a sensitive issue and Omar Abdullah's comments
on it are unfortunate. Had a Hurriyat leader made such remarks
it was understandable but a responsible chief minister should
not have said so. At a time when the Supreme Court has already
given the death sentence, raking up this debate is
unfortunate," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
Another party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad insisted
that any person who seeks to break India's sovereignty and
integrity or kills a former Prime Minister and given a death
sentence should be executed.
"BJP is clearly of the view that all those who have
been given capital punishment after due process of law,
including confirmation by the Supreme Court and whose clemency
plea has been rejected by the President, then the capital
punishment should be executed," he said. Prasad insisted there is a need to understand that
capital punishment is given in the rarest of rare cases.
"All those who are involved in terrorist activities or
in attacking the sovereignty and integrity of India or killing
a former Prime Minister of India certainly fall in this
category," he said.
He maintained that integrity and unity of the country
is far bigger than a party or political divide and there is a
need to understand this.
