JAMMU, March 4: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that the Centre’s course of action regarding cases similar to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru will determine whether his hanging was “selective and political”.
“There are still such people against whom there are similar allegations (like that of Guru). If those people are hanged, then people of Kashmir will feel that Guru’s hanging was not political in nature,” Omar told the State assembly while winding up the debate discussing the situation arising out of the hanging of Guru.
Opposition PDP, NC, CPIM and People Democratic Front (PDF) had moved motions for adjournment of the business of the house to discuss the issue.
Speaker Mubarak Gul allowed the discussion on Guru today and NC-coalition ally of Congress had brought the adjournment motion over the issue along with the Opposition.
“Let us wait and watch what action is being taken against others convicted in similar cases”, he added and lambasted PDP and Separatists for playing politics on human bloodshed.
“I even today do not accept that Guru was hanged for political reasons”, Omar said, adding, that the course of action regarding similar cases would determine it.
Lambasting the Opposition for politicising the issue, Omar said, “You have no concern either for Afzal Guru or his family, neither you were concerned about people facing difficulties under curfew, you only wanted the situation go out of control, precious human lives are lost and you had an open field to play politics.”
The Chief Minister accused the Opposition of playing politics on human bloodshed to gain benefits and criticised both PDP and separatists of becoming the “traders of death”.
“You have become the traders of death, and you want human blood to shed; you will not change your trait”, he told PDP, adding, “Safeguarding people was my only concern and I am highly thankful to the people that they understood your tricks and those of separatists and refused to fall in your political game.”
“You want to play politics on blood but not me, you want to see people bleed but not me, you want to gain benefits out of bloodshed but not me and your trait is to utilise these situations for your interests but I am not of that grain, human life is above everything to me, I cannot tolerate that the blood of my people sheds, their safeguarding is my politics and I will continue to do the same,” he lamented.
The CM said that on 8th February 2013 at about 8 PM he was informed by the Union Home Minister that the mercy petition moved by Guru’s family had been rejected by the President of India and the Union Government has decided to hang Guru on 9th February 2013 morning.
“I was asked to make necessary preparations regarding controlling the situation in the State”, Omar said, adding, that his prime concern at that point in time was to save the lives of people and avoid use of force.
The CM said in 2006, when the Supreme Court gave death sentence to Guru, the then Government imposed curfew for 21 days.
“You want to play dirty politics over blood and shed crocodile tears to astray people otherwise your whole record is before the public”, Omar said.
“Other than statement made by Mufti Sayeed regarding Afzal Guru some days back, Sayeed has never talked about this issue right from 2006 when the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence to Guru up to 2013”, he added.
The Chief Minister also pointed out that he had asked the Centre repeatedly to convert Guru’s death sentence into life term.
“I had also conveyed the law and order and security apprehensions of Afzal Guru hanging to the Centre time and again. I held the same position both when I was not in the government and as the Chief Minister of the State”, Omar said. (AGENCIES)
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