By IANS
New Delhi : The Congress Thursday blamed the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government for picking up Afzal Guru, main accused in the parliament terror attack in 2001, two days before the incident and then letting him off.
“If the NDA government was so concerned about terrorism, then why was Guru picked up for questioning two days before the parliament attack and then let off? Had this not been done, the attack would not have taken place,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.
Afzal Guru was arrested after the parliament attack on December 13, 2001. He has been given a death sentence and his amnesty plea is lying with the government for the last few months. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has blamed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for not executing his death sentence, and claimed the government was doing this to appease Muslims.
When Singhvi was asked whether the UPA government was aware all these years that Guru was picked up before the attack, he said: “This fact has come to light very recently. We are working on getting more details. Some more surprises on this issue cannot be ruled out.”
The new development has given the Congress an opportunity to corner the BJP on an issue whereas it was on the back foot till now.
According to informed sources, Guru was picked up by intelligence agents prior to the attack but was let off after some preliminary questioning. However, when the parliament attack took place, the agency realized that Guru was involved and had given them the slip. He was subsequently arrested and tried.