No political motivation behind Afzal Guru hanging says Tewari

Chennai:

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said the execution of Afzal Guru, convicted for his role in the attack on Parliament in December 2001, proves that United Progressive Alliance is not soft on terror.

Denying any electoral or political motivation behind the hanging of Guru, Tewari said the decision on hanging Guru showed UPA’s internal security related decisions were not taken out of fear or favour.

The UPA government has delivered on its promise and will continue to take tough stand on issues of national importance. The government decisions on internal security are devoid of political considerations, the minister said. Interestingly, both Afzal Guru and Ajmal Kasab have been executed before the parliament session. Kasab was hanged before winter session while Afzal was sent to gallows before budget session.

Tewari said judicial process had been followed  in Afzal guru case with three-layered judicial scrutiny starting from the trial court to the Supreme Court which had upheld his conviction.

To a query on clemency pleas of those sentenced to death in former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination case, Tewari said decisions cannot be “extrapolated,” as facts of each case are scrutinised in detail before arriving at a decision. “Each case has to be evaluated based on facts before the President applies his own mind. There is no need to extrapolate,” the minister said.

Tewari also ruled out indifference to any section of citizens including the case of larger Tamil issue while highlighting that the Union government has backed the US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka on war excesses. He said India has a process of engagement with neighbouring states and it should not be misconstrued against Tamil sentiments.

Ruling out early elections, Tewari also hit out at BJP over the temple issue. “The party lacks credibility. They came to power on the temple issue. But later they abandoned the issue. People are aware of the party's opportunism,” he added.