Mohammad Afzal
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Mohammad Afzal also known as Afzal Guru is an Indian from Kashmir accused and convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament. In 2004, he was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of India. The sentence was to be carried out on 20 October, 2006. The sentence is now stayed, after his family filed a mercy petition to the President.
There is a lot of pressure to issue clemency to Afzal from terrorist groups in Kashmir, who believe hanging Afzal would have negative effects on peace process in Kashmir. Others believe the trial process was flawed. Accusations of human rights violations have been made by Afzal's wife.
During the joint attack, strong evidence pointing to it being conducted by the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET) and the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JEM) of Pakistan seven members of the security forces, including a lady constable, were killed.
The police case was based on the stormers of Parliament having been in contact over their mobile phones just before the attack with Afzal in Srinagar, and on an apparent confession made by the accused.
The Supreme Court of India accordingly ordered that Mohammed Afzal be hanged on October 20. He was charged with concealing the conspiracy of the attack on Parliament.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress, Communist and local terrorist groups have come out in support of clemency for Afzal. It is alleged many have done so to protect the Muslim vote bank, a big force in Kashmir.[1]
The Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party president, Mehbooba Mufti commented that the Centre should pardon Mohammad Afzal if Pakistan accepted the clemency appeal for Sarabjit Singh. [1]
Ms. Mufti, who is also an MP, said that if clemency appeals were made for Sarabjit citing his Indian nationality, voices should also be raised for Afzal for "he too is an Indian citizen." Two citizens of India cannot be treated with different yardsticks, she had said.
However, The All India Anti-Terrorist Front Chairman M.S. Bitta has urged the President of India, Abdul Kalam not to accept any clemency pleas on Afzal's behalf.He warned that his organisation will launch a massive agitation if Guru is not hanged. He also criticised statements of various political leaders and blamed them for "encouraging activities of militants in Jammu and Kashmir".[2]
The Bharatiya Janata Party strongly opposes clemency, as do advocacy groups for Kashmiri Pandits worldwide. An India Today poll in late October showed that 78% of Indians supported the death penalty for Afzal[1]
On November 12, 2006, Advani, the ex Deputy PM of India and the opposition leader, criticized the delay in carrying out the death sentence on Mohammad Afzal Guru for the Parliament terror attack.
He commented, "I fail to understand the delay. They have increased my security. But what needs to be done immediately is to carry out the court's orders". Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy asked in her article [3], "What is the hurry? The man is locked up in a high-security cell on death row. He is not allowed out of his cell for even five minutes a day. What harm can he do? Talk? Write, perhaps? Surely, even in Advani's own narrow interpretation of the term, it is in the national interest not to hang Afzal? At least not until there is an inquiry that reveals what the real story is and who actually attacked parliament?"
The BJP has severaly criticized Arundhati Roy. BJP spokespoerson Prakash Javadekar said "Those who are supporting Afzal by demanding that he should not be hanged are not only acting against pubic sentiment in the country but are giving a fillip to terrorist morale,"[4]
It is feared that delaying the punishment may give time to terrorists for planning events similar to the Indian Airlines Flight 814-hijack to Kandahar and demand release of Afzal and other extremists.
