Afzal Guru death sentence: Omar Abdullah has a different take

Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah seems visibly annoyed over the clamour surrounding the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

“I believe his [Afzal Guru's] name figures at number 30. Why don’t you ask questions about the 29 that come before him instead of focusing your attention on only one person… just because his name is glamorous? Let us reach number 29 and then we will tackle number 30 when we reach there,” Omar said while replying to a question about Afzal Guru at Nagrota in Jammu.

“The law will take its own course [in the Afzal Guru case],” Omar added.

State BJP president Shamsher Singh Manhas criticised Omar’s stand. “A traitor should be given the harshest punishment. Unfortunately, Omar’s stand is divisive,” he said.

Afzal Guru’s execution has become a touchy issue in the valley. Separatists have warned of serious consequences if he is executed. Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani even met Afzal Guru in Tihar Jail on April 16.