Party no bar, city politicians say Afzal's execution justified

But scuffles break out as Kashmiri students protest hanging

The hanging of Parliament attack accomplice Afzal Guru on Saturday morning was justified by political leaders cutting across party and religious lines in the national capital.

While the BJP demanded that Congress government should take more strong measures to wipe out terrorism from the country, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) MLA from Matia Mahal Shoaib Iqbal said that anybody guilty of terrorism deserves nothing less than the death penalty.

Congress legislators believe that Guru’s hanging will send out a strong message to terrorists.

Reacting to the news of the hanging, BJP Delhi Pradesh president Vijender Gupta said that this will bring solace to the families of the martyrs who had since long been waiting for justice.

“Guru deserved death and Congress government only delayed it for years. Now that he has been executed, a chapter in Indian terrorism history is over.

The people of this country and the families of victims of terrorism will get peace only when terrorism is finished from India. For this purpose, the government will have to make strong laws and take quick decisions,” said Gupta, adding that Guru should not have lived so long after he was held guilty by the court in 2005.

Iqbal, a fourth time MLA from Matia Mahal, which is home to a large population of Muslims, said that Muslims do not sympathise with Guru. “He conspired against the state and has been hanged as per the law. We have no sympathy for such people, no matter what community they come from,” said Iqbal, adding that law is the same for any community in this country.

Despite the unanimity among politicians on this issue, a minor scuffle was reported from Jantar Mantar where some Kashimiri protesters were beaten up by some youths, allegedly belonging to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

“There were about 20-30 youngsters who were celebrating the hanging of Guru when another group of boys from Kashmir came and raised slogans against the government. This angered the other group and a scuffle broke out between the two.

There was exchange of punches and kicks,” said a police official from the area. The situation was brought under control at once and the groups were dispersed, he added.

Meanwhile, Delhi police has declared a high alert in the city and policing has been increased in the sensitive areas.