Afzal Guru not hanged for 'political reasons': Shinde

Mumbai, May 24: Former Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today rejected National Conference leader Omar Abdullah's claim that Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was hanged for "political reasons" by the UPA government.

"Supreme Court had given the decision. The case had gone against him (Afzal) in the apex court. Mercy petition was also rejected. The decision (to hang Afzal) was taken after all these developments. It was not a political decision," Shinde, told PTI.

Asked what must have prompted Abdullah, who was the Chief Minister of the troubled state when the hanging took place, to make such remarks now, Shinde said, "He may be wanting to indulge in politics there in Kashmir. But at that time, he never brought such an aspect (about politics being behind the hanging) to our notice."

"After the SC ruling and rejection of the mercy petition, people were expecting that Afzal will be hanged," the senior Congress leader said. Abdullah has claimed that hanging of Afzal Guru had been carried out for "political reasons" by the UPA government which had informed him only hours before.

Omar said he was was out for a dinner with his sister at a Delhi restaurant, when he received a call from the then Shinde, who was then the Home Minister, informing him that he had signed the papers for Guru to be hanged early next morning and asking him to make law and order arrangements.

Guru, who was at serial number 28 in the list of condemned prisoners, was hanged on February 9, 2013.

PTI