Par attack martyrs families return gallantry medals

New Delhi, Dec 13: Angered by the delay in execution of the Parliament attack case convict Mohammad Afzal Guru, families of the martyred security personnel returned gallantry medals to Rashtrapati Bhavan today, the fifth anniversary of the incident.

The families returned the medals to an official at Rashtrapati Bhavan, saying they should be placed in the National Museum until Guru is executed.

They submitted a joint memorandum to President A P J Abdul Kalam, with whom Guru's mercy petition is pending.

Eight securitymen were killed in the attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001.

They expressed shock over Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil's remarks in Parliament that they were being provoked by the BJP over the execution issue ''We did not order Guru's execution. A court of law has done that. It is the vile politics over his death sentence, which is being delayed, that has led us to return these medals,'' said Ganga Devi, widow of sub-inspector Nanak Chand, said after emerging out of the presidential palace with All India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF) chief M S Bitta.

They dismissed Mr Patil's remarks on the issue and said they were saddened and shocked by them.

The families met the waiting media holding a placard that carried photographs of all the slain security personnel.

''We will take back the medals only after Afzal is hanged,'' said Jayawati, widow of head-constable Vijender Singh.

In the memorandum, the families said they regard the gallantry medals a humiliation in the light of the delay in Guru's execution.

''A pardon means making a mockery of the brave soldiers and civilians who laid down their precious lives while performing their duty for the nation. Hence, we have decided to return the medals to the government given to our near and dear ones, which now seem like humiliation piled on us,'' the memorandum said.

It was signed by ten people, including widows of two CPWD men and of a TV journalist who were killed in the attack.

UNI