J&K legislator seeks return of Afzal Guru's remains

An independent legislator, Engineer Abdul Rashid on Wednesday said that he will press for the release of all political prisoners and return of the mortal remains of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru in the upcoming budget session of the state assembly.

“I have already submitted two vital resolutions in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly one pertains to demand of bringing mortal remains of Afzal Guru back and another pertains to release of all political prisoners of Jammu and Kashmir locked in different jails,” Engineer Rashid said in Srinagar.

Rashid’s statement comes amid the raging controversy set off by the release of Masarat Alam Bhat, a senior separatist leader and chairman of the Muslim League, a constituent of the hardline separatist conglomerate, All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

The release led to uproar in both houses of the parliament and caused fissures in the states ruling Peoples Democratic Party- BJP coalition which took office just ten days before.

A group of Peoples Democratic Party MLA’s had also earlier this month demanded the return of the mortal remains of Guru.

The group of PDP MLA’s issued a statement which said, “PDP has always maintained that Afzal Guru’s hanging was travesty of justice and constitutional requirements/process was not followed in hanging him out of turn. The way he was picked up from serial no. 28 and singled out has been condemned by PDP and it stands by the demand for return of his mortal remains, and the party promises to follow vigorously for the return of the mortal remains.”