Afzal Guru resolution dropped in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly ;

Afzal GuruI

























n a major breather for the ruling PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir, the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday dropped the resolution seeking a return of the mortal remains of Afzal Guru, who was hanged in New Delhi's Tihar jail in 2013.
The resolution, moved by independent MLA Engineer Rashid, was scheduled to be taken up on April 1 and April 8, the days in the Assembly reserved for Private Members' Resolutions.
The resolution submitted by Rashid read: "Let the House resolve that mortal remains of Afzal Guru hanged in Tihar Jail be returned back to the family on humanitarian ground so that they can perform his last rites according to the religious obligations."

 

 

The tumultuous PDP-BJP alliance
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to intervene after a section of the PDP also made similar demands, saying only the Common Minimum Programme agreed upon by the two parties will be followed by the state government.
"The PDP has maintained that late Afzal Guru's hanging was travesty of justice and constitutional requirements and processes were not followed," a note signed by nine PDP MLAs had read. "PDP demands return of his mortal remains," it said.
Recently at the India Today Conclave 2015, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had also raised questions over the hanging. "Why be selective when it comes to Kashmir? Why pick up number 28 on the hanging list and hang Afzal Guru? Such actions create suspicions," she said.
The note had evoked a sharp response from the BJP. "If the PDP continues to speak outside the Common Minimum Program, we will have to remove Article 370," BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said. Article 370 of the Indian constitution gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir and has been a major ruse for the Sangh Parivar.
Guru, sentenced to death in the 2001 Parliament attack case, was hanged secretly in New Delhi's Tihar jail on February 9, 2013.