Shinde dismisses suggestion that Afzal hanging was selective

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Dismissing Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah’s suggestion that the execution of Afzal Guru was “selective”, the Centre today said the cases of killers of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Punjab chief minister Beant Singh were different.

Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said Afzal’s execution was not a political decision but done according to rules. “In the cases of Rajiv Gandhi and the chief minister, the cases are still pending in the Supreme Court. After rejection (of the mercy petitions) cases were filed in the Madras high court and the Supreme Court.

“These cases are still under consideration before the judiciary. Hence it (Afzal) is different from these cases,” he told a press conference. He was responding to questions why the government showed tearing hurry in executing Afzal Guru while the killers of Gandhi and Singh were given options.

Omar also had said yesterday that it will have to be proved to Kashmiris and to the world that the execution of Afzal Guru is not a “selective” one. Omar had asked if attack on Parliament was an attack on symbol of democracy, is an attack on chief minister and former Prime Minister not an attack on democracy.