Omar Abdullah's Remark On Afzal Guru's Execution Draws Sharp Rebuke From BJP

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently sparked controversy with his statement that the execution of Afzal Guru, convicted in the 2001 Parliament attack, served "no real purpose".

His comments came just ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and drew sharp criticism from the BJP.

Photo Credit: PTI

Reacting to Abdullah's statement, BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Kavinder Gupta, accused Abdullah of supporting anti-national elements.

Gupta said, "What does Omar Abdullah want to solve? If anti-national elements who hatched a conspiracy against India are given the death penalty, why do they object to this? They want to create a situation by taking support from terrorists. That is why he is speaking such language."

Omar Abdullah clarified that the Jammu and Kashmir government had no involvement in Guru's execution.

He said that if state approval had been required, it would not have been granted. Abdullah said, "The unfortunate thing was that the Jammu and Kashmir government had nothing to do with Afzal Guru's execution... I don't believe that any purpose was served by executing him."

The remarks have added to the political heat in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the assembly elections, which will be held across three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, marking the first elections since the abrogation of Article 370.

Jammu and Kashmir has 90 assembly constituencies, including 7 seats reserved for SCs and 9 seats for STs, with over 88 lakh eligible voters.