By News Agency of Kashmir,
Jammu : Expressing surprise over the recent statement by union minister for home, Bhartiya Janta Party chief Rajnath Singh today said that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the centre should not equate Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and Sarbjit Singh, an Indian citizen awarded death sentence in Pakistan.
Addressing a public meeting, here today, Singh launched a tirade against the UPA government for allegedly `shielding’ the parliament attack convict at the cost of national interest.
BJP president Rajnath Singh in Jammu
Defending the death sentence to Guru, he said that Union Minister Home Minister Shivraj Patil should not have equated Afzal Guru and Sarabjit Singh. “I fail to understand what message the minister wants to convey by making such remarks”, he said adding, “While Afzal Guru has been awarded death sentence in the Parliament attack case, Sarabjit Singh has been sentenced to death in Pakistan for his alleged role in terror blasts there and UPA government should not have equated both the cases”.
The BJP chief further lauded the role statement of Sarabjit’s wife who has clearly said that she would not like if her husband were to be freed at the cost of her country.
Accusing UPA government for adopting flexible approach towards terrorism, he questioned the continuous delay in executing the death sentence of Guru.
The country, he said, wants to know why Afzal’s death sentence is not being executed. “The convict has filed the clemency petition in 2006 but no decision has been taken on the petition so far”, he said asking, “What is taking so long to execute the court’s decision?”
Lambasting UPA government for scrapping POTA in the country, he maintained that BJP would vociferously oppose to the UPA government’s soft policy against terror. “Ever since the UPA Government came to power, terrorism has been successful in spreading its nefarious design all over the country. The UPA government’s approach has been casual while dealing with terror and other anti-India activities,” he alleged.