JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir’s opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday gave notice of an adjournment motion in the legislative assembly to discuss the situation in the state after execution of Afzal Guru and the delay in returning his body to his family.
According to PDP spokesman Naeem Akhtar, the resolution in this regard has already been given to the assembly speaker for discussion on these two issues Friday.
Earlier, the PDP boycotted the governor’s address on the first day of the budget session to lodge its “protest against failure and inability of the state government to protect rights of the citizen of Jammu and Kashmir – Mohammad Afzal Guru, who was hanged by depriving him of his proper legal rights”.
PDP legislators, led by party chief Mehbooba Mufti, staged a sit-in outside the assembly and shouted slogans against the Omar Abdullah government.
They were carrying placards reading “Tamil Nadu Nay Inkar Kiya, Punjab Nay Inkar Kiya. Par Jammu and Kashmir Sarkar Nay Ikrar Kiya”.
The reference was to the Tamil Nadu and Punjab governments’ opposition to the death sentences to the killers of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh respectively, the Jammu and Kashmir government acceding to Guru’s execution.
The PDP legislators were also questioning why Guru, who was on the death row at serial number 28, was picked up and sent to the gallows without being given an opportunity to approach the Supreme Court.
The PDP maintained that after rejection of his mercy petition, Guru should have been given the opportunity to approach the Supreme Court but this was denied to him. They alleged he was deprived of his legal rights and “hanged secretly in unholy manner”.
Party legislators also demanded that the mortal remains of Afzal Guru should be given to his family members for proper burial and last rites.
(IANS)
