‘His family soft about terrorists…’: BJP hits out at Omar Abdullah over remarks on Afzal Guru’s execution

BJP leaders criticized Omar Abdullah for his anti-national remarks regarding Afzal Guru's execution. They defended the death penalty, claiming Guru was involved in terrorist activities. The comments come ahead of the J-K Assembly elections scheduled to be held on September 18, 25 and October 1.

Written By Sayantani
Published7 Sep 2024, 04:22 PM IST
Union Minister Nityanand Rai slammed Omar Abdullah and commented that the leader from J&K was 'speaking in favour of such terrorists' when the latter said that Afzal Guru's execution served no purpose.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai slammed Omar Abdullah and commented that the leader from J&K was ’speaking in favour of such terrorists’ when the latter said that Afzal Guru’s execution served no purpose.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and BJP leader from Bihar Nitayanad Rai has lashed out at the Nammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President, tagging the later as 'anti-India'. The heated remarks come after Omar Abdullah remarked that he was not in favour of 'capital punishment', adding that the execution of the 2001 Parliament attack case convict, Afzal Guru, did not serve any purpose.

Rai, on Saturday, slammed Omar Abdullah and commented that the leader from J&K was 'speaking in terrorists of such terrorists'.

Also Read | Afzal Guru’s execution served no purpose, says Omar Abdullah

"Omar Abdullah's statement is extremely objectionable and anti-India; any amount of criticism is not enough... He is speaking in favour of such terrorists", Rai told reporters on Saturday.

Further slamming the Congress and NC alliance in Jammu and Kashmir for the upcoming J-K Assembly elections, Rai remarked, "... The Congress is with such anti-India statements. There is no difference between Abdullah and Congress... The people of India will not forgive this..."

Afzal Guru was one of the key conspirators of the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001. Guru was hanged in 2013 at Tihar Jail.

Also Read | Afzal Guru death anniversary: 2G mobile internet suspended in Kashmir again

Afzal Guru was convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 attack on Parliament that killed six security personnel and one civilian. He was on death row for nine years as the government dithered over taking a final decision on his mercy plea.

This was partly due to the legal efforts undertaken by Afzal Guru’s family to seek relief and also the lack of willingness on the part of the government to carry out the execution.

Also Read | Afzal Guru’s last interview

Omar Abdullah, earlier on Saturday had said, “The unfortunate thing was that the J&K government had nothing to do with Afzal Guru's execution.”

During the interview with ANI, Abdullah added, "Otherwise, you would have had to do it with the permission of the state government, which I can tell you in no uncertain terms would not have been forthcoming. We wouldn't have done it. I don't believe that any purpose was served by executing him."

Defending his point, Abdullah added that he does not believe in capitalist punishment. He claimed that evidence has shown time and time again, "that it may not be in India, but in other countries, that you have executed people and found that you are wrong.”

Also Read | Parliament terror suspect Afzal Guru hanged in Delhi

BJP leader Ravi Shankar also hit out at Omar Abdullah and termed his remarks as ‘irresponsible and anti-national'. 

Defending the decision to execute Afzal Guru, Shankar commented, “Afzal Guru was given death punishment by the law. The matter went to the Supreme Court, and even a review was done but he was found to be involved in anti-national and terrorist activities.”

Citing the upcoming J-K Assembly elections, Shankar added, “To win the election, will you talk about breaking India? It's good that his real face has just been exposed. The people of Kashmir and BJP won't let his conspiracy to weaken India be successful.”

Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls will be held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1.

 

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First Published:7 Sep 2024, 04:22 PM IST
Business NewsPolitics‘His family soft about terrorists…’: BJP hits out at Omar Abdullah over remarks on Afzal Guru’s execution

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