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| Preventing Guru execution was not in my hands: Omar | | 'PDP's sole motive is to blame me' | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Mar 4: In a bid to tone down the allegations of PDP in having failed to save Afzal Guru from getting executed, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that neither the decision to hang Guru was in his hands nor was it in hands to have any say when the death penalty was awarded to Guru by the Supreme Court.
Replying on the adjournment motion on Afzal Guru moved by the principle opposition party People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to discuss the hanging of Afzal Guru and handing over his mortal remains to his family, Omar Abdullah alleged that the sole motive behind demands of discussion on Afzal issue was to "blame and target" him and to seek some bigger political gains. He said PDP's unrest is also for the fact that 'my Government kept the situation under control and did not allow it to engulf in flames….', Omar said adding that 'this was beyond the tolerance of PDP.'
It appears from main opposition's account that he put the noose around Guru's neck and hanged him to death, the Chief Minister said. "PDP is trying to project me as responsible for Afzal's execution… Sole motive to hold discussion over Afzal hanging was to target me, blame me for it as if I have a say in hanging him or pronouncing the death sentence or rejecting his mercy plea," Omar retorted.
Interestingly , in his address, Omar Abdullah termed the Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru as 'Sahib'.
"I have raised the issue of Afzal Guru 'Sahib' with the Union Government and also wrote to the Prime Minister to hand over his mortal remains to his family members," he said.
"I even lodged my protest with the Union Government t as to why Guru's family was not informed in advance about the execution," he added.
While responding to PDP's accusation that the Government imposed restrictions on the people in Kashmir valley in the wake of Afzal's hanging, Chief Minister said, "Yes, we imposed the curfew restrictions… People had to face difficulties but the decision was taken only to maintain law and order in Kashmir besides avoiding 2010 like situation."
"We did our best to control the situation from getting worse and it is pity that certain vested interests tried to ignite the emotions of the people," the Chief Minister said.
"PDP is playing dirty politics and shedding crocodile tears over the hanging of Afzal Guru. The opposition party is only trying to take a political mileage out of it for its vested interests as it do not have any concern for Afzal Guru's family…. From 2006 till the execution of Guru, PDP did not bother to raise the issue but now it wants to play politics over blood and shed crocodile tears to hoodwink the people…I am true to my conscience and spirit and I know what I had done," Omar added.
Omar concluded by saying that there are certain doubts which needed to be cleared and the answers will come in the future as there are other convicts facing the death sentence similar to Afzal Guru.
"Let us wait and watch what action is being initiated against others convicted in similar cases", he said |
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