The BJP expressed apprehension that the Government may bow under pressure of human rights activists and accept another petition on Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru which will further delay execution of his death sentence.
“Afzal Guru seems more concerned about a (quick) decision on his mercy petition than the government. We are concerned that this issue may become a ground for human rights activists to file another petition and this in turn may become a ground for government to further delay the matter,” BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
Guru’s lawyers have said though he has been given a death sentence, the delay in a making a decision on his mercy petition meant he is serving a jail term as well since 2002.
Guru had written to Ministry of Home Affairs asking for a decision - either for or against - on his mercy petition on the grounds that being in solitary confinement for several years was taking its toll on him.
BJP fears human rights activists may use this as a pretext to take up Guru’s cause.
Rudy insisted that BJP was concerned over the delay by the Government in taking a decision on Guru’s mercy petition.
“He has already asked for transfer from Tihar jail to a jail in Jammu and Kashmir,” Rudy said.
BJP also expressed its ire over the release of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by the Pakistan Supreme Court citing lack of evidence though India had given it dossiers on the role of the Lashkar-e-Toiba founder.
“The diplomacy of dossiers has completely failed.
Pakistan government has failed to get his conviction. Lone survivor among the 26/11 attackers (Ajmal Kasab) has given enough evidence against him but it seems the Pakistan authorities did not read the dossier well,” Rudy said.
The senior BJP leader warned that talks with Pakistan without taking this issue into account would be “dangerous“.
He accused the Government of kneeling before the US on international issues.
