The Hindu : New Delhi News : BJP seeks clemency for Sarabjit, gallows for Afzal

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Thursday, Mar 20, 2008
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BJP seeks clemency for Sarabjit, gallows for Afzal

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The BJP members in the Assembly on Wednesday pleaded for clemency for Lahore blast accused Sarabjit Singh while demanding that Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit return the file on the death sentence to Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru to the Centre with her opinion so that he could be sent to the gallows.

Opposition leader Jagdish Mukhi said Supreme Court had sentenced Afzal Guru to death in the Parliament attack case of 2001. However, he said, since Afzal had pleaded for clemency to the President, the Centre had sent the file to the Delhi Government for its opinion.

Noting that after so many years the Government had not returned the file, Prof. Mukhi said the Chief Secretary had gone on record stating that “the matter is under consideration”. On the other hand, Vijay Jolly said the death sentence to Sarabjit Singh, who had been convicted in the Lahore blast case, be commuted and leniency shown to him. He said such a gesture would do a lot of good for India-Pakistan ties.

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