'Pass resolution to commute Guru's death sentence'

Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has demanded the resignations of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father, union minister Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that the CM should step down if the state assembly fails to pass a resolution for commuting Afzal Guru's death penalty for his role in the Parliament attack.

Omar Abdullah tweeted in favour of such a move after Tamil Nadu passed a resolution to commute the death sentence of the assassins of former prime minister of India Rajiv Gandhi. 

"I do not think the Jammu and Kashmir assembly has the guts to pass such a resolution because the son is the chief minister of the state and father a cabinet minister in the Manmohan Singh government. They look after their own interests than the interests of the state," said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Mirwaiz pointed out that the Bharatiya Janata Party's position on the issue was well-known and Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh opposed such a move. The Peoples Democratic Party too is not in favour of such a move. He said that the Congress therefore has to walk a tightrope. 

"What happens if Afzal Guru is hanged? In that event the whole peace process between the government of India and the All Parties Hurriyat Conference goes for a six and the same thing would happen to the Indo-Pakistan dialogue. Long back Maqbool Bhatt (militant) was hanged and the result was creation of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front. No body wants the peace in the valley to be shattered. I hope better sense prevails and government of India does not go ahead with the hanging," said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Yusuf Tarigami, told rediff.com that his party's stated position is very clear. "We do not believe in death sentence," he said.

Bhim Singh said such an action by the state assembly would violate the supremacy of the constitution of India and he would fight against it.