More about News
Ashadh Krushna 14, Kaliyug Varsha 5114
Srinagar (J&K) : Engineer Rashid, the independent MLA representing Langate constituency of Kupwara district, today submitted a petition to UPA presidential candidate, Pranab Mukherjee, seeking clemency for parliament attack convict, Mohammad Afzal Guru.
The MLA submitted the petition in a separate meeting with Mukherjee who was on a day’s visit to Kashmir for campaigning before the upcoming presidential elections. The meeting took place in the premises of SKICC here after Mukherjee’s met the mainstream parties at the same venue—an event Rashid preferred to stay away from.
Sure about Mukherjee’s triumph in the presidential elections, Rashid, in the petition, asked him “to show hallmark magnanimity to let the person (Afzal Guru) live” hoping “the gesture will surely help bridge the gap between New Delhi and Kashmir.”
“…I humbly request your good self that after assuming office of the President of India, which is obvious, the mercy petition of Mohammad Afzal Guru be accepted. I hope your good self will show your hallmark magnanimity to let the person live with his family. This gesture of yours will surely help bridge the gap between New Delhi and Kashmir,” pleaded the independent MLA who is famous for his anti-government stand over various civil and political issues.
Guru was convicted in Parliament attack case of 2001 Parliament attack and the order to sentence him to death was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2004. The sentence was scheduled to be carried out on October 20, 2006. But the execution was stayed following a mercy petition filed by his wife. He remains on death row since then.
However, Rashid maintained that hanging Guru “will have disastrous consequences”, and that New Delhi should take a “compassionate approach.”
“…This State has passed through decades of sufferings and pain, and at this stage the people of the state expect from New Delhi a compassionate approach towards the issues. I have been maintaining that hanging Muhammad Afzal Guru will have disastrous consequences for the strife-torn state, which will further hurt the psyche of people,” he stated in the petition.
Earlier, Rashid preferred distance from Mukherjee’s meeting with the National Conference and Congress members on the pretext “it shall have been a coalition meeting.”
“It was named the meeting of NC and Congress members, but we do not belong to any party. So I told them that we will stay away from the meeting and meet Pranab Mukherjee separately,” he said while talking to Kashmir Times later in the afternoon.
Asked about Mukherjee response, Rashid revealed: “He said ‘let me become the president first’.”
However, talking to reporters later outside SKICC, Mukherjee said “I have no personal opinion about the capital punishment.”
He also refused to comment on clemency petition for Afzal Guru.
“No comments,” he said when asked by media.
Source : Kashmir Watch
The MLA submitted the petition in a separate meeting with Mukherjee who was on a day’s visit to Kashmir for campaigning before the upcoming presidential elections. The meeting took place in the premises of SKICC here after Mukherjee’s met the mainstream parties at the same venue—an event Rashid preferred to stay away from.
Sure about Mukherjee’s triumph in the presidential elections, Rashid, in the petition, asked him “to show hallmark magnanimity to let the person (Afzal Guru) live” hoping “the gesture will surely help bridge the gap between New Delhi and Kashmir.”
“…I humbly request your good self that after assuming office of the President of India, which is obvious, the mercy petition of Mohammad Afzal Guru be accepted. I hope your good self will show your hallmark magnanimity to let the person live with his family. This gesture of yours will surely help bridge the gap between New Delhi and Kashmir,” pleaded the independent MLA who is famous for his anti-government stand over various civil and political issues.
Guru was convicted in Parliament attack case of 2001 Parliament attack and the order to sentence him to death was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2004. The sentence was scheduled to be carried out on October 20, 2006. But the execution was stayed following a mercy petition filed by his wife. He remains on death row since then.
However, Rashid maintained that hanging Guru “will have disastrous consequences”, and that New Delhi should take a “compassionate approach.”
“…This State has passed through decades of sufferings and pain, and at this stage the people of the state expect from New Delhi a compassionate approach towards the issues. I have been maintaining that hanging Muhammad Afzal Guru will have disastrous consequences for the strife-torn state, which will further hurt the psyche of people,” he stated in the petition.
Earlier, Rashid preferred distance from Mukherjee’s meeting with the National Conference and Congress members on the pretext “it shall have been a coalition meeting.”
“It was named the meeting of NC and Congress members, but we do not belong to any party. So I told them that we will stay away from the meeting and meet Pranab Mukherjee separately,” he said while talking to Kashmir Times later in the afternoon.
Asked about Mukherjee response, Rashid revealed: “He said ‘let me become the president first’.”
However, talking to reporters later outside SKICC, Mukherjee said “I have no personal opinion about the capital punishment.”
He also refused to comment on clemency petition for Afzal Guru.
“No comments,” he said when asked by media.
Source : Kashmir Watch
Post comment
Print Article
Send to friends
Save as PDF