“Time seems to have stood still for us. Over a decade after the Parliament attack our families are still coming to terms with the void that it has left behind in our lives,’’ says Gangadevi, wife of Delhi Police Assistant Sub-Inspector Nanak Chand who lost his life.
Sitting along with other families who lost their near and dear ones in the attack, she says: “Today [Thursday] is the 11 anniversary of the attack, but we are yet to reconcile with what has happened. My husband was posthumously conferred a bravery award in recognition of his sacrifice, but we have returned the medal demanding death by hanging for Afzal Guru. Probably his death will help me regain my lost faith in justice and democracy. Right now the Indian government seems to be protecting Afzal. When we know that he is guilty and that he is responsible for such a heinous crime, what prevents us from allowing him to be hanged.”
The family members who gathered at the All-India Anti-Terrorism Front president Maninderjit Singh Bitta’s residence on Thursday spoke of their pain and noted that their only demand was death for Afzal.
Sunita Devi, wife of Vikram Bisht who was on security duty, says: “My only concern now is educating my children and ensuring a good life for them. But we as a group appeal to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to respect the sacrifice made by the security personnel and clear the path for the execution of Afzal.’’
J. Balaji reports:
Amnesty International has urged President Pranab Mukherjee to immediately halt all the death sentences and go with the internationally accepted principle of “right to life” in the backdrop of increasing demands for the execution of Afzal Guru.
Keywords: Parliament attack, Afzal Guru
It is immensely distressing to see that justice has been denied to
those family members who lost their near and dear ones during the
heinous attack purely due to political considerations. The attack
targeted the very core and symbol of India's democracy and yet
successive governments and Presidents have dithered in taking the right
decision. Regarding Amnesty's call, what is surprising is that the
focus is always on the criminal's rights and not on the victims'. The
victims- those who lost their lives and those who live behind to suffer
the consequences- also have rights. The ones who perished had a right
to live their life to the full. Their survivors have a right to live a
happy and dignified life and a right to justice. If someone indulges in
killing others deliberately, to then talk of that person's right to
life is a mockery of those who laid down their lives and a mockery of
justice.
Please Email the Editor