Government soft on home-grown terrorists: BJP

“Is the Delhi government pro-terror or does it think Afzal Guru was a tourist or a nationalist and feels he is not guilty? If yes,then it should openly say so … We want a clarification from the Prime Minister on the manner in which Afzal is being given relief,” BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.

It also sought a clarification from the Delhi government on the issue. Reports in the media suggested that the Home Ministry had sent the report to the Delhi government four years ago but the latter had not taken any action despite two reminders.

The main opposition maintained that the people were closely watching this “appeasement politics” of the Congress-led government.

Rudy alleged the action of the government in the whole issue was becoming “questionable”.

BJP also alleged that the Indian government was giving a softer treatment to home-grown terrorists unlike Kasab who was given a death sentence.

“After Ajmal Kasab’s conviction and with the prosecution failing to provide evidence against his two Indian accomplices Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed,there is a world-wide belief that Indian laws are different for those who are Indian terrorists and those who come from outside,” Rudy said.

BJP sought to paint Afzal’s case in a similar light.

Rudy alleged that there was a growing perception that India did not want to punish home-grown terrorists and asked the Prime Minister to come clear on the issue.

The party’s newly appointed Delhi BJP president Vijendra Gupta accused Dikshit of “playing politics” in clearing the file pertaining to the mercy-petition of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

He told reporters here that the party will launch an agitation in the city if her government does not complete the process within next two days.

“The chief minister is playing politics over this serious issue. Her government has been sitting over the file for last four years,” Gupta said.

He said BJP workers would protest at the residence of Dikshit if the file pertaining to Guru’s mercy petition was not cleared in next two days.

Gupta sought to know the reasons for the time taken on clearing the file and said the people have a right to know it.

BJP’s reaction on the issue came after the Union Home Ministry in yet another reminder to Delhi government sought its opinion on the mercy petition of Guru,who has been sentenced to death.

Afzal Guru was awarded death by a local court on December 18,2002 after being convicted of conspiracy to attack the Parliament on December 13,2001,waging war against India and murder.

The death sentence was upheld by Delhi High Court on October 29,2003 and his appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court two years later on August four,2005.

The sentence was stayed after Guru filed a mercy petition to the President.