After facing flak for sitting over the mercy petition file of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru for over four years, the Delhi government on Monday decided to clear the file “shortly” while officials maintained that “the file is on the move”.
The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has reportedly pulled up the Delhi government for not responding to a letter on Afzal Guru’s mercy petition. “The Delhi government will give its opinion, as sought by the MHA, shortly. The file is on the move,” said reliable sources in the Delhi government. Meanwhile, the Delhi government officials have accepted of receiving a letter from the MHA. “A letter has been received on Afzal Guru’s petition but there is nothing new about it,” said a senior Delhi government official. He added that the Delhi government has been receiving these letters for the past two years and any action to be taken will take its time. “The reply is likely to reach the MHA tomorrow (Tuesday),” added the official.
However, earlier in the day, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit said that she was not aware of any letter sent by the Union home ministry seeking her government’s comments on the mercy petition filed by Afzal Guru. “I have not received any letter (from the home ministry). May be the home department (of the Delhi government received it),” she told mediapersons earlier on Monday.
However, senior officials maintained that there is no issue which is making the file being stuck with the Delhi government. “It is just a political issue and the day the government gets the political will the file will be sent back to the MHA with no loss of time. The city government does not have to carry out any procedure related to the file,” said a senior official.
Commenting on the issue, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Rajeev Pratap Rudy said, “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit should inform why Afzal Guru’s hanging issue has been kept in cold storage for four years. A terrorist-friendly atmosphere is being created by this.”
While BJP state president Vijender Gupta stated, “If the Delhi government does not take any decision in Afzal Guru’s case in 48 hours, BJP will start a dharna outside Ms Dikshit’s residence.” Mr Gupta further alleged, “With the Congress being in the power at the Centre, there is a wider conspiracy to subvert the judicial process.” Meanwhile, the Congress said the home ministry is trying to expedite the matter. “The home ministry is processing one clemency plea per month and sending it to the President,” party spokesman Manish Tewari said. “The law must take its own course. The home ministry is expediting it,” said a senior ministry official.