BJP to raise Afzal hanging issue in Parliament

New Delhi, Nov 17 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party today decided to raise the issue of delay in hanging Mohammad Afzal Guru, sentenced to death in the Parliament attack case, on the opening day the Winter Session of Parliament.

A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of the core group of the party at the residence of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee where the party also decided to move an adjournment motion to highlight the failures of the UPA government on the front of internal security and the spurt in Pakistan ISI-aided terrorist activities in all major cities across the country.

The party will decide on the date after consultations with the Lok Sabha Speaker, BJP Parliamentary Party Spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said after the meeting.

He said the party had decided to hold a massive rally on November 22 outside Parliament against the delay in executing Mohammad Afzal to derive electoral benefits in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttaranchal assembly polls, due next year. The BJP MPs would raise the issue in the most effective manner inside the Lok Sabha.

He said the prices of essential commodities had shot up by 30 to 40 per cent ever since the UPA government took over which has adversely affected the general public especially the poor.

Issues concerning the claims made by China over Arunachal Pradesh and the outcome of the talks with Pakistan would also be raised in Parliament, he said.

The meeting was attended by senior party leaders, including Leaders of Opposition in the two houses of Parliament L K Advani and Jaswant Singh, party president Rajnath Singh, senior leaders M Venkaiah Naidu, Sushma Swaraj and party General Secretary Arun Jaitley.

UNI MCN/KAS YA RAI2121