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Spell out stance: Congress told

K. Mrityunjaya Ram

Ghulam Nabi Azad's reported move draws flak

NELLORE: The BJP on Saturday demanded that the Congress spell out its stance on the issue of seeking clemency for Mohammed Afzal Guru in the Parliament attack case.

"On the one hand [Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister] Mr. Azad has reportedly sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention in the grant of Presidential pardon for Afzal saying hanging will send a wrong signal to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, while the Congress high command on the other hand is silent. Therefore, the Congress has to spell out its stance to clear the confusion on such a sensitive issue," BJP senior leader M. Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.

Coming down heavily on the Congress, Mr. Naidu alleged that the Congress had been adopting vote bank politics even on the issue pertaining to the attack on Parliament. '

"Seeking clemency for a person, who masterminded the attack on the Parliament on December 13, 2001, is unconstitutional and unpardonable besides being a clear case of falling political standards," the BJP leader claimed.

"It is ridiculous on the part of Mr. Azad and some other leaders of Jammu and Kashmir to put forth an argument that hanging Afzal on October 20 will send a wrong signal as the day is Jamutal Vida and Shabi Qadar, considered the most significant days during the Ramzan month. Religion should not be dragged into issues pertaining to national security," he said.

Mr. Naidu claimed that the execution would in no way affect the peace process in the State.

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