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Omar Abdullah’s Stance On Afzal Guru’s Death Penalty Draws BJP Ire: ‘Congress Is With Such Anti

September 7, 2024
Bharat Times

Jammu and Kashmir Nanational Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah’s recent remarks on Afzal Guru’s execution have triggered a massive controversy in the country, with the Bharatiya Janata Party lambasting him for “backing and taking support from terrorists”. BJP also pointed out that Abdullah’s remarks were “anti-India” and directly against the Supreme Court’s verdict. The saffron party has also asked the apex court to take cognisance of his “objectionable” statement.

The row ensued after the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Abdullah said during an interview that if the state’s approval was needed for Afzal Guru’s execution, then it would not have been granted. Stressing that his government would not have allowed the terrorist to be executed, Abdullah said, “I don’t believe any purpose was served by executing him”.

Following this, BJP leaders came down heavily at him, accusing him and his family of remaining soft about terrrorists and making such statements to win the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls. BJP stressed that the decision to execute Afzal Guru was delivered by the Supreme Court after it the discovery of his involvement in terrorist activies. The saffron party also criticised Congress over Abdullah’s remarks for forming an allaince with the JKNC, whose vice president made “such anti-India statements”.

‘Supreme Court Should Take Cognisance’: Manoj Tiwari

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said: “This statement of Omar Abdullah is a direct challenge to the Supreme Court’s verdict. Afzal was hanged because he planned an attack on the Parliament. The terrorists did not succeed in entering the Parliament but around a dozen of our security personnel lost their lives. Omar Abdullah siding with a terrorist is directly against the Supreme Court’s verdict. The Supreme Court should take cognizance of this because these people have also been on CM’s chair and are making anti-country and anti-Supreme Court statements.

He also asked whether “Rahul Gandhi has arrived to an agreement with Omar Abdullah’s party for this reason?”

‘Congress Is With Such Anti-India Statements’: Union Minister Nityanand Rai

Meanwhile, Union Minister Nityanand Rai called Abdullah’s statement “extremely objectionable and anti-India” and slammed Congress for its alliance with the JKNC. “Omar Abdullah’s statement is extremely objectionable and anti-India, any amount of criticism is not enough… He is speaking in favour of such terorrists… The Congress is with such anti-India statements. There is no difference between Abdullah and Congress… The people of India will not forgive this,” the minister said.

Former Deputy CM of Jammu and Kashmir and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta questioned Abdullah over why he was objecting to the death penalty given to someone who conspired against India. “If anti-national elements who hatched a conspiracy against India are given the death penalty, why do they object to this?… They are taking support from terrorists that is why he is speaking such language,” he stated.

‘Will You Talk About Breaking India To Win Elections?’: Ravi Shankar Prasad

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also shared similar sentiments as he underscored that the decision to execute Afzal Guru was taken by law. “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,” he said.

Condemning the statement made by Abdullah and suggesting that it was a move to win the assembly elections, Prasad added: “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. 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.”

‘Speaks Volumes About INDIA Bloc’s Mindset Of Backing Terrorists’: Pradeep Bhandari

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for Jammu and Kashmir has been a vision of development. It has been a vision which has ensured that there is no terror or terror is uprooted from the valley. On the other hand, the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah, believe in giving soft support to terrorists.”

Bhandari, who recently joined the BJP in July, also targeted the opposition’s INDIA bloc for “backing terrorists”. “Omar Abdullah said that if it had been in his capacity, he would not have allowed Afzal Guru’s hanging, a terrorist’s hanging. This speaks volumes about the mindset of the INDI Alliance, which is about backing the terrorists. In the last 10 years, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed no stone pelting incident and the terror in the valley has gone down. We are extremely confident that that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will choose a BJP-led government in order to continue to be on the path of development,” he stated.

Omar Abdullah On Afzal Guru’s Execution

On Afzal Guru’s execution, Abdullah remarked: “The unfortunate thing was that the Jammu and Kashmir government had nothing to do with Afzal Guru’s execution. Otherwise, you would have had to do it with the permission of the state government, which I can tell you in no uncertain terms would not have been forthcoming. We wouldn’t have done it. I don’t believe that any purpose was served by executing him.”

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