Rakib Altaf
SRINAGAR, July 15: An independent law maker of Kashmir valley on Sunday made an attempt to woo UPA presidential candidate in favor of clemency to parliament attack accused Mohammad Afzal Guru.
On a visit to Srinagar to garner support for the upcoming presidential election, Mukherjee’s chances of taking over the prestigious position have become stronger after the support of state’s two main political parties -NC and PDP.
An independent Member of Legislative Assembly of North Kashmir’s Langate constituency, Engineer Rashid, found the occasion ‘opportune’ for apprising Mukherjee about the Guru case being “a burning issue in Kashmir”.
“I told Mr. Mukherjee that we welcome you in Kashmir. There is perception in Kashmir that Congress is liberal and secular as compared to the BJP. We see you as moderate voice,” said Rasheed.
Afzal Guru case, a resident of Kashmir, was awarded death sentence for allegedly attacking the Parliament in 2001.
A waiver in Death sentence is only possible if the President of India approves the petition for mercy.
“Mukherjee read out a few lines from the memorandum and stated let the election be over,” Rashid claimed.
The issue had created a flutter across India after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had come in favor of the mercy petition of Afzal Guru after legislators in South Indian state of Tamil Nadu passed a resolution seeking clemency for Former Indian President Rajiv Gandhi’s assassins.
Notwithstanding the utterances of Chief Minister, Rasheed brought a resolution in the state assembly seeking pardon for Guru.
The move cornered Kashmir’s mainstream political leadership who decided to at least allow, if not pass, a similar resolution for fear of being mocked by the people and the separatists.
This time neither the ruling National Conference nor the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), expressed any concern about the issue with Mukherjee.
National Conference has 28 Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA’s), five Members of Parliament while the PDP has 21 MLAs but no presence in Parliament.
