SRINAGAR: Reacting to the Supreme Court’s verdict on the assassins of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, People’s Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said the decision has made the people of Kashmir realize that laws were completely different for Kashmir and for the country.
In a historic judgement, the Supreme Court Tuesday commuted the death sentence of three key conspirators in former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, holding that the 11-year delay in deciding their mercy petitions was unreasonable and de-humanizing.
“By this decision, the Supreme Court has once again made the people of Jammu and Kashmir realize that there is a separate law for Kashmir and the rest of the country. I think they are now sure that they have always been discriminated against be it on any issue,” Mehbooba Mufti said.
“The honourable Supreme Court had once said that ‘to satisfy the collective conscience of the country’, death sentence was given to Afzal Guru. Although, there were many things which were unexplained and there were not much evidence against him,” she said.
“Today Rajiv Gandhi’s assassins, who was no less a symbol of Indian nationhood than the parliament in itself, which was also attacked, are not being treated in the same way. The hearing has come today which is a good thing, but I wish that they had given a similar decision in other cases such as that of Afzal guru. By this decision they have promoted a feeling of alienation in the state and it is not only me who is saying this, but the other political leaders would say the same,” she added.
The same reprieve should have been given in Afzal Gurus case. Reprieve to Mohammad Afzal Guru would have made the situation different in Kashmir. But Guru was hanged in most atrocious manner by the government of India to which the National Conference is a partner, she said.
Ms Mufti said, Guru was denied all judicial reliefs and it was ironic that death sentence was commuted in case of the killer of Rajiv Gandhi who also symbolized nationalism like the parliament does.
Mehbooba said that besides Gurus hanging, double standards were also adopted in case of Pathribal fake encounter case where CBI has proved the involvement of army personnel.
She said that CBI had went upto the supreme court that unfortunately did not adjudicate the matter itself and instead handed over it to the army court which closed the matter in open.
When I visited the spot in Pathribal people told me that one body was cut in pieces and thrown to dogs. Even we could see the bits of flesh scattered and people told that bodies were mutilated in order to conceal their identities. Is this our justice system of which we are proud of, Mehbooba questioned.
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