Hang Afzal Guru for Parliament attack, demand marchers

NEW DELHI - Hundreds of students, accompanied by family members of those killed in the Parliament House terrorist attack Dec 13, 2001, Saturday took out a march in the capital, demanding immediate hanging of Mohammed Afzal Guru, who has been held guilty in the case.

The march, organised two days before the ninth anniversary of the terror attack, was led by All India Anti-Terrorist Front chairman M.S. Bitta, who said the government should show “seriousness” while tackling the menace of terrorism and hang Guru as soon as possible.

“The government has to show some seriousness while tackling terrorism. What is the war against terrorism when the incidents such as the Mumbai attack and Varanasi blast continue to happen?” Bitta asked while addressing the marchers at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi district.

Nine security personnel lost their lives while fighting terrorists who attacked Parliament House.

Bitta said none of the family members of the attack victims would take part in a memorial service planned at Parliament House Dec 13 until the government took a concrete decision on Guru’s hanging.

Instead, the victims’ family members would visit the Amar Jawan Jyoti (the flame of the immortal soldier) at India Gate to pay homage to the martyrs, he added.

Bitta said that the government should adhere to the Supreme Court verdict on hanging Guru.

Guru, a resident of Sopore in the Kashmir Valley, was found guilty of plotting the parliament attack and was sentenced to death by a trial court in December 2002. The Delhi High Court confirmed his death penalty in October 2003.

The Supreme Court upheld the capital punishment given to him for his role in the attack. Guru’s wife, Tabassum, filed a mercy petition before the president after the apex court’s verdict.

As per the laid down procedure, the president sought the home ministry’s views on the mercy petition in 2005.

With the home ministry recommending that the plea be rejected, it is now up to the president to take a call on the fate of Guru, exercising her powers under the constitution.