BJP demands early execution of Afzal Guru

Jalandhar (Punjab), Mar 23 : Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members took to the streets on Sunday and blamed the Central Government for deferring the execution of Afzal Guru, key convict in the December 13, 2001 Parliament attack case.

"The Central Government is not acting according to the judgment of the Supreme Court. It has been deferring the issue and playing vote bank politics," said Ravi Mahendru, a protestor.

They shouted slogans against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government and Afzal Guru.

On December 13, 2001, five gunmen stormed the heavily guarded Parliament complex and killed nine people before being shot dead.

Mohammad Afzal Guru is one of the main accused in the case, and a trial court awarded him the death punishment, which was also upheld by the Supreme Court.

However, Afzal's scheduled hanging on October 20, 2006 was put off after his wife had submitted a mercy petition to the then President of India, A P J Abdul Kalam.

ANI