Azad has no right to occupy CM's chair: BSP

Jammu, Oct 5 (UNI) Criticising Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's stand on capital punishment to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, Bhaujan Samaj Party (BSP) today accused Congress of dividing people on communal lines.

''After such a irresponsible stand, Azad has no right to occupy CM's chair,'' BSP national general secretary Narinder Kashyap told reporters here.

Mr Azad had met the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sought postponement of Guru s hanging -- scheduled for October 20 -- pleading that the day coincides with Jumat-ul-Vida (the last Friday of ramadan).

''Congress has failed on all the fronts. It is now raking up the issue of Afzal (Guru) just to divert the attention of people'' the BSP leader said.

He also criticised the BJP for raking up Afzal's case. ''besides Congress, BJP is also playing politics on the death sentence, as Assembly elections in four states are on cards'' Mr Kashyap said.

He warned the political parties not to use such issues for political gains.

''The country comes first, not the party,'' he said, adding it was only the courts or the President who was capable of taking a decision on the issue.

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