BJP urges Kalam against clemency to Afzal, threatens movement

New Delhi, Oct 8: While petitioning the President A P J Kalam against clemency to Parliament Terror Attack convict Afzal Guru, the Bharatiya Janata Party today declared that it will take the issue to the masses if the convict was condoned the death penalty.

The government should not delay in deciding on the matter as it is a very serious issue affecting the security and integrity of the country, BJP leader LK Advani told mediapersons after submitting a memorandum to President Kalam.

The Congress-led UPA government should clarify its position on the issue, he said.

In the memorandum, the BJP urged the President ''to ennsure that the Rule of Law prevails and the Executive does not for reasons of vote bank politics, denigrate the needs of India's security and soverignty.'' ''If amnesty is shown to those who have masterminded the most heinous attacks in recent history it will be an incentive to terrorism,'' it said.

The BJP said in a situation when cross-broder terrorism was thriving, and anti-terror law has been scrapped, amnesty to a person responsible for attack on Parliament and death of 11 people will give very encouraging signals to the country's enemies. ''The three courts have considered the matter and come to conclusive finding of guilt against Mohammad Afzal Guru. It is not open to anyone to reopen the facts and come to any contrary findings.

The virdict against this accused has been uniform and clear,'' said the memorandum.

Moreover, the plea of fair trial can be entertained by courts, not by the Executive, it said.

Besides Mr Advani, BJP president Rajnath Singh, its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj, general secretary Arun Jaitley chief whip in Rajya Sabha Ahluwalia and vice president MA Naqvi formed part of the pary delegation which called on the President to submit the memorandum.

UNI