BJP wants Afzal Guru hanged next

Calling Ajmal Amir Kasab's execution a case of"better late than never", the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesdaydemanded that Afzal Guru, convicted in the Dec 2001 parliament attack case, behanged next.

"It took us four years to finally hang him... Betterlate than never," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told mediapersonsafter the 26/11 Pakistani terrorist was executed in Pune's Yerawada jail.

Asking the government to expedite the whole process of mercypetitions, Prasad also demanded action against Afzal Guru, who masterminded theattack on Parliament House over a decade ago.

"The Supreme Court has rejected his (Afzal Guru's)plea, and his review petition has also been rejected. But why has thegovernment not taken any action? I hope the government will now expedite thewhole process of mercy petition," Prasad said.

Similar views were expressed by Gujarat Chief MinisterNarendra Modi and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.

"What about Afzal Guru, who attacked parliament, ourtemple of democracy, in 2001? That offence predates Kasab's heinous act by manyyears," Modi said, on micro blogging website Twitter.

In rare consonance, Digvijaya Singh tweeted: "FinallyKasab hanged. GoI (government of India) should pursue the case of the Handlersin Pakistan. Afzal Guru's case should also be expedited now."

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi termed the hanging "astern warning to the enemies of India, especially those across the border whowant to terrorise India".

Another party spokesperson, Sayed Shahnawaz Hussain said theexecution of Kasab came as "balm on the wounds of the victims".

"Kasab's hanging will act as a balm on the wounds ofthe people of Mumbai but their wounds are still fresh," Hussain said.

He added that the victims of the Mumbai terrorist attackwould get real relief only when "Kasab's handlers across the border arebrought to justice".

Kasab, who was hanged at 7.30 a.m., was the only one caughtalive, of the 10 Pakistani terrorists who sneaked into Mumbai on the night ofNov 26, 2008.

The Nov 26-29, 2008, terror siege killed 166 people andinjured 300.

The decision on his execution was taken after PresidentPranab Mukherjee rejected his mercy petition Nov 5. The decision was conveyedto the Maharashtra government Nov 8.

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