If Kasabs remains could be handed over to Pakistan, why not of Azfals remains to Kashmir
SRINAGAR: In a major relief to the PDP-BJP ruling alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday dropped the resolution for the return of the mortal remains of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
The resolution was moved by an independent MLA, Engineer Rashid, but was dropped during the draw to select the resolution for holding discussions in the House. The MLA stormed the well of the House to protest dropping of his resolution and was marshalled out of the Assembly.
The resolution 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 Muhammad 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.”
During Question Hour, MLA Langate advanced to the speaker’s podium to press his demand for the return of the mortal remains of Afzal Guru, who was executed in February 2013 in Tihar Jail without informing his family members.
Rashid sought reply from the Speaker as to why his resolution demanding return of mortal remains of Afzal Guru to his family was dropped from the proceedings of the House.
When he was told that it was dropped during the draw to select the resolution for holding discussions in the House, he walked into the Well of the House and resorted to protests by saying that if the Government of India can talk to Pakistan for handing over the body of Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab, then why cannot they return the mortal remains of Guru to his family.
He continued protests amid verbal duels with NC members, including Devendar Rana, and PDP members, including Yawar Dilawar Mir, CPI (M) member M Y Tarigami interrupting the House proceedings during Question Hour.
The speaker Kavinder Gupta then ordered the marshals to evict him from the house for interrupting the proceedings.
Gupta later tried to pacify the situation, saying that there was a draw of lots in front of representatives of all the parties last evening and the resolution did not figure in it.
Earlier this month, a section of the PDP leaders also sought return of Afzal Gurus mortal remains but it was only after the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ,who reiterated BJPs stand that only the Common Minimum Programme agreed upon by the two parties will be followed by the state, that the matter was settled for the time being.
“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.
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