It may be recalled that Afzal Guru was sentenced to death in connection to the attack on the Parliament of India in 2002. However, his petition for clemency has been pending with the President of India for a long time.
After a recent cabinet meeting the Nationalist Congress Party Chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, when asked about Afzal Guru, had said that they had already said what to do.
Meanwhile, a section of Congress Party is also in favour of hanging Afzal Guru and believe that after the Mumbai attack the government should send strong message on the issue of terrorism.
Offically, the Congress and the Central Government have long been holding their views that before any decision on Afzal Guru is taken, 25 other cases are to be decided. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's killer Murugun's name also figures in that list.
A highly placed source said that former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had almost made up his mind that after the J&K polls are over Afzal Guru will be hanged.
A senior minister feels that the issue has become double-edged sword,`` if we pull out of his petition then question will also be asked about other 25 cases in queue.' People may obviously ask as to what happened to those petitions.#
Hang or not to hang is the question
Decision on Afzal Guru likely on cards
25 other cases too need disposal before his case is decided
Abhijit Roy Chowdhury - 29-12-2008 11:46 GMT-0000
New Delhi: With Jammu & Kashmir results out and the Indian National Congress once again set to share power in the state, the issue of capital punishment to Afzal Guru in bound to hot up. This time UPA allies are asking the question on his fate. 'To hang or not to hang him' is the question.