New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir interlocutor Dilip Padgaonkar says a decision on 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's case could have repercussions in the Valley. Padgaonkar has drawn a parallel with the hanging of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front founder Maqbool Bhatt.
"I am principally opposed to capital punishment. But if the country's highest court has convicted him and given him the death penalty that has to be respected. We saw the kind of reaction in the Valley to the Maqbool Bhatt episode, so one can only speculate what kind of a reaction this would have," said Padgaonkar.
The Central Government is understood to have recommended to President Pratibha Patil to reject the clemency petition of Afzal Guru. The move could pave the way for the likely hanging of Afzal, an issue that has already generated much controversy.
Six years after Afzal appealed to the President of India to commute his death penalty, the Ministry of Home Affairs sent its opinion on August 10, 2011. Minister of State for Home Mullapally Ramachandran on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that the letter has gone to the President on July 27.
Sources in the Home Ministry said, Afzal Guru, who is guilty of attacking Parliament in December 2001, should not be pardoned. Sources say the report is mainly about Afzal's role in attack and nature of crime he committed.
It's also says no grounds of mercy on the basis of health/family are made out.
The 8-10 page report includes trial court, High Court and Supreme Court orders as well as Delhi Lieutenant Governor's report on law and order situation after Afzal's execution.
The Home Ministry has submitted its case to the President's Secretariat for a final decision.
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