Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 4: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) senior leader and former Minister Muzaffar Hussian Baig today accused the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah of lowering the prestige and value of his position on Afzal Guru’s hanging.
Talking to reporters after Speaker disallowed him to speak on his Party’s Adjournment Motion on Afzal Guru the mastermind in Parliament attack of 2001, Mr Baig alleged that Chief Minister was trying to save his position by behaving like some one who is working on daily wages. “This way he has brought disrepute to the Chief Minister’s position” he added.
Mr Baig said Chief Minister in reply to the debate on Adjournment Motion ironically claimed credit for clamping curfew, banning news papers and unleashing repression in Kashmir. “This way he wanted to convey that he has done a favour to all of us” he added.
Referring to the process which culminated in Afzal’s hanging, Baig said it was not an execution but a murder. He said the Constitution of India and Supreme Court `s decisions on the subject have been blatantly violated. He charged Omar Abdullah of facilitating this process in his family tradition just to be able to stick to power.
Posing five questions to Chief Minister, Mr Baig said on February 10 this year, he claimed in an interview to CNN -IBN that Home Minister of India had informed him only on February 8 that Guru would be hanged in Tihar Jail on February 9 at 8am. And in reply to a specific question in the same interview Mr Abdullah asserted that the Home Minister had a week or 10 days back informed him about the same and non specifically asked what would be the fall out, if Guru was hanged, the PDP leader added.
Blaming the Chief Minister of misleading the people Mr Baig asked “Is not it a fact that Home Minister had actually informed him well in time that Guru will be hanged and the GOI had taken the Chief Minister into confidence about the same earlier and on February 8 evening the Government was provided balance of information confirming the date.
Mr Baig in his questions said agreed that Home Minister had informed Mr Abdullah some time back only informally about hanging as claimed by Omar Abdullah to elicit his view on its fallout, was it not the duty of Chief Minister to honestly, objectively and courageously inform him (HM) that it would have adverse impact on the national interest in Kashmir.
The PDP leader further argued that in his interview to CNN-IBN , the Chief Minister inter alia , highlighted , expressly or by necessary implication, that Guru’s hanging and the way it was “carried will alienate two generations of Kashmiri youth”. Moreover he said that his hanging was “selective”, and “out of turn”. He even went to the extent of saying that murderers of former Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh and the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi though convicted earlier have been spared so far and Guru’s hanging raises questions about GOI’s intent and impartiality.
Mr Baig said this statement of Omar Abdullah may have sent as subliminal message to Kashmiris especially the youth that suggesting unjust prejudicial behavior of India towards Kashmiri Muslims.
Mr Baig while quoting Chief Minister said in the interview he pointed out that Supreme Court in its judgment had revealed that penalty of death was necessary in Guru’s case to satisfy the collective conscience of the nation. Criticizing the CM the PDP leader said that judgment is delivered on dispassionate grounds of justice and not to satisfy anyone’s desire or hatred. These arguments are substantial and genuine only if they were made bonafide and in time. However they were made only after the damage was done and not in the time to prevent the damage, he added.
Baig further asked Chief Minister that did he discuss with Home Minister the arguments made by him in post facto TV interview.
He said when Chief Minister failed to raise these points before the Home Minister what was the purpose of raising these agitating issues one day after Guru’s hanging?
The PDP leader further asked the Chief Minister agreed that he raised the points before Home Minister and he rejected the same but asked why he did not raised them with Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson, Mrs Sonia Gandhi later.
Mr Baig said that if Chief Minister is not taken into confidence by GOI on matters related to Kashmir which have adverse implications for the security of India then what is his role?
Earlier talking to media persons, Leader of Opposition Ms Mehbooba Mufti said the way Speaker did not allow the PDP to take part in the discussion appears it is a fixed match between alliance partners -BJP and Panthers. She said earlier to debate BJP Leader of the House Ashok Khajuria went to CM’s chamber to discuss the strategy and they talked how to scuttle the PDP from taking part in debate.
She accused the BJP of sabotaging the debate on Friday as well as today.
She said the Kashmiris are on roads and it is an humanitarian issue as people have lot of resentment against the Government.
Mrs Mufti alleged that the State Government has its hand in Guru’s hanging. Rejecting their all arguments that they were not informed, she said the family was not allowed to meet Guru and as Opposition we have every right to discuss the issue.
Accusing the Chief Minister of bringing disrepute to the post she said he could not do any thing to save Guru or allow his family to meet him. The Assembly was the only Forum to discuss the issue now its role is also being belittled, she added.
Mehbooba said today BJP-NC again made a drama and it was earlier also done when the demand for clemency of Guru was made.
She said BJP last time voted in favour of Dr Abdullah in Rajya Sabha elections and the two parties are hand in glove. Lambasting the Government, she said it sees with a myopic eye and wants to remain in power by hook or by crook.
Holding Congress equally responsible she said they are partners and are responsible for omissions and commissions of the Government.
However BJP’s Leader of the Legislative Party Ashok Khajuria while rejecting the allegations said that two IRP cops were killed in Handwara but neither Government nor PDP spoke and whenever a Jamati or a militant is killed they put white clothes and mourn their death.
Khajuria said that his Party will never allow House to become “Korav’s Sabha”.
He said no one talked about Chamail Singh killed in Pak jail. He made it clear that India is a secular and democratic country where rule of law prevails and there can’t be a separate law for a Hindu, for a Muslim or any other religion. The BJP strongly opposed the Motion on Guru, he added.
NPP leader Harshdev Singh while lambasting the PDP said it is strange that they are discussing the terrorists and not the people who laid down their lives while fighting terror.
Mr Singh said one way you talk of security forces and on the second those who fight terrorism are being disarmed. Terming it a criminal act, he said he had given Adjournment Motion on killing of Chamail Singh and two cops in Handwara and it was not allowed.
He said Guru’s mercy petition was rejected so it can’t be discussed in the House.
Prof Chaman Lal Gupta of rebel BJP said that the Guru episode is outside the House which can’t be discussed as per rule. An issue which took place in Tamil Nadu, the House has no jurisdiction to discuss the same, he added.
Quoting rule he said the issue which has no concern with the Government can’t be discussed in the House. He said this way the House has been hijacked and among the three regions of the State Ladakh and Jammu fully back decision regarding hanging of Guru, he added.
He said instead of discussing important public issues the House is discussing Guru. NC and PDP should settle scores outside the House and not waste the precious time of the House, he added.
He said Congress should also explain its position as they rule at Centre and also in the State. The NC -PDP has tussle in Valley so they have made an issue out of non issue, Prof Gupta added.
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mir Saifullah has said that the State Government has already requested the Union Government for handing over the mortal remains of late Afzal Guru, so that his family could perform his last rites.
Talking to reporters, he said that the present Government has tackled the situation in a very efficient manner in the aftermath of Afzal Guru’s hanging. He said instead of appreciating the Government for tackling the situation carefully, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was busy in blame game.
The Minister said that PDP is misleading the people over the death of Afzal Guru and playing merely a drama in media.
Follow our WhatsApp channel