The BJP on Saturday came down heavily on former Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah who in an interview had allegedly 'opposed' Afzal Guru's execution. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad went on to say that the 'Abdullah family remain soft about terrorists.' Mohammad Afzal Guru was a Kashmiri separatist who was convicted for his role in the 2001 Parliament attack. He received a death sentence for his involvement, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. Following the rejection of a mercy petition by the President of India, he was executed in 2013.
BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "Afzal Guru was given death punishment by the law. The matter went to the Supreme Court, and even a review was done but he was found to be involved in anti-national and terrorist activities. To win the election he (Omar Abdullah) is saying that hanging him (Afzal Guru) was a wrong decision, what does he want? I condemn this, it's an irresponsible and anti-national statement."
"The Jammu and Kashmir government had nothing to do with Afzal Guru's execution, otherwise you would have to do with the state government's permission, which I can tell you in no uncertain terms would have been forthcoming. I don't believe any purpose was served by executing him," Abdullah said in a conversation with news agency ANI and added, “Evidence has shown us time and time again, it may not be in India, but in other countries, that you have executed people and found that you are wrong.”
Criticising the J-K leader over his comments, Prasad said, "It shows the truth that he and his family remain soft about terrorists... To win the election, will you talk about breaking India? It's good that his real face has just been exposed. The people of Kashmir and BJP won't let his conspiracy to weaken India be successful," he added.
