NEW DELHI: The Opposition members walked out of the Lok Sabha on Tuesday after Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "provoking and misleading" the relatives of those killed in the terrorist attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001.

Mr. Patil was responding to a special mention raised by the Leader of the Opposition, L.K. Advani, who sought to know the Government's stand on the hanging of Mohammad Afzal Guru, the main accused in the Parliament attack case, whose clemency petition is before the President.

On Monday, the relatives of the nine security personnel killed in the attack said that they would return the honours conferred posthumously if the Government failed to announce its decision on Afzal by Wednesday.

Noting that the clemency petition was filed recently, Mr. Patil said the process of deciding on such an issue was not a simple exercise and involved the Home and Law Ministries. A stand would be taken only after considering the State Government's opinion as well, Mr. Patil added.

Also, such matters must be handled with extreme care as the Supreme Court had ruled that a decision for or against a mercy petition could be challenged in a court of law, the Minister said. In such a situation, it was not proper "to divide society on the issue."

Heated exchanges

The matter led to heated exchanges between members as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi charged Mr. Advani, then Home Minister, with failing to protect Parliament.

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