In highly controversial remarks that could embarrass the UPA Government, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil has drawn a curious parallel between Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, an Indian in an Indian jail, and Sarabjit Singh, an Indian in a Pakistani jail. Calling for Afzal Guru’s death, he said, doesn’t go with demanding clemency for Sarbajit.

This is the first time that a parallel has been drawn by any one in the government between the two cases and that, too, from none other than the Union Home Minister. The remark also comes when the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan met in Islamabad for the composite dialogue process. For long, the UPA has been under attack from the Opposition for not allowing Guru’s hanging.

As his quote started creating ripples in the media today, Patil issued a statement saying he had been misinterpreted.” He, however, did not specify what the correct interpretation was.

Speaking in Marathi to reporters in his hometown of Latur today, he said: “Afzal Guru.. Lokana fashi deu naka mhanun sangtay aani Hindustanchya lokana fashi dya mhanun sangtay. Asa kaay karayla laglat? Tya lokana fashi deu naka tumhi mhanayala laglat aani ithe fashi dya mhanayala laglat. (Afzal Guru...You are asking for the death sentence to be waived for people and you are demanding that people from Hindustan should be hanged. What are you doing? You are starting to say that those people should not be hanged and here, you are demanding a hanging).

Guru was found guilty in the December 13, 2001 attack on Parliament in which seven security personnel were killed. His death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2004. His execution, however, is on hold with the Government yet to revert to Rashtrapati Bhavan on a clemency petition.

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