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To the gallows: Judicial process reaches logical conclusion after 11 excruciating years

 
Mainstream political parties in the country on Saturday showed unanimity while endorsing Afzal Guru’s hanging, but differed on the details. While the BJP accused the UPA of delaying the hanging, the CPM said it was only a completion of a legal process.

The BJP and the Congress, as usual, showed political competitiveness. While the Congress claimed to have sent a strong message to the terror outfits, the BJP blamed the ruling party of delaying it.

“Law has taken its course. The Parliament attack convict has been hanged,” said Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi. “We have sent a message to the world that we cannot tolerate terrorism at any cost. Anybody committing any acts of terror will be punished. People of our country and the government have zero tolerance for terrorism,” he said.

Alvi also mentioned that the terrorists released by the NDA government during the Kandahar hijack episode were the ones who planned the attack on Parliament.
 Extending further the Congress claim of no leniency towards terrorism, senior leader Digivjay Singh demanded fast track courts for trying terror cases.

Alleging delay in hanging Afzal Guru, chief spokesperson of the BJP Ravishankar Prasad said: “Hanging of Afzal Guru is part of the legal and judicial process which ought to have taken place much earlier. The attack took place in 2001, that is 12 years ago, which was an attack on India.” 

“Why this sort of delay inspite of overpowering desire of the people of the country that those who are accused of such a heinous offence ought to be given capital punishment as affirmed by the highest court of the land. This question would remain important and an answer would have to be found out,” Prasad added. 

‘End of judicial process’

The CPM also endorsed the hanging but said it was only as culmination of judicial process. “I think, the law of the land with all its provisions has finally been completed as far as Afzal Guru case and the attack on Parliament is concerned. The issue which had been lingering for the past 11 years has finally completed its due course,” CPM polit buro member Sitaram Yechury said.

He also added that there are two more cases in which law has to take its course. Assassination cases of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. “Justice should be delivered in these cases. They should also reach their due course,” Yechury said.

CPI National Secretary D Raja alleged the BJP and the Congress of politicising the issue and condemned it. “The law has taken its course.” He said, “This matter is not the concern of these two parties alone but of the entire nation.”