The Afzal Guru issue and hypocrisy that surrounds it

Many in Kashmir would say that as long as the government does not take a decision to return the body of Afzal Guru to his family, the issue would continue to boil.

During a lengthy conversation with a friend from Kashmir on Friday, he said that at the most there will be protests for two days once the body is returned and then the issue would die down permanently.

Afzal Guru who was hanged at the Tihar jail for his role in the Parliament attack was also buried in the same place. There has been a demand that his body be returned to the family.

Every year on his death anniversary separatists in Kashmir sit in protest and demand that his body be returned. This year around it turned a little more ugly with some students in the JNU, Delhi staging a protest and also shouting anti national slogans.

Hypocrisy on Afzal Guru

It is very clear that separatists and certain sects in other parts of the country want to keep the issue alive. Like in the case of Maqbool Bhat, the founder of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, the issue relating to Afzal Guru has the potential of snow balling into a major issue.

Speaking of hypocrisy, one must read through the statements of Azfal Guru's wife, Tabbasum. While stating that it is her right to get the mortal remains of her husband, she also adds that she feels let down by the separatists for not spearheading an agitation in this regard. I feel let down by them she says.

The separatists too want to milk this issue and giving them ample support are some of their supporters in Delhi.

Going by the wife's statements it becomes amply clear that none of them want the issue to be resolved and as long as the body remains buried in the Tihar jail they have an issue to milk every year on the death anniversary of Afzal Guru.