Endorsing its Kashmir chief’s view for a rollback of the death sentence awarded to Mohammad Afzal, the main convict in the attack on Parliament, the CPI(M)’s Central leadership has said it will favour an intervention from the President to stop the death sentence from being carried out. But, the party clarified, that did not mean a soft approach towards terrorists.

Yusuf Tarigami, the CPI(M) chief of Jammu and Kashmir, had said that the death sentence was unacceptable when the peace process in Kashmir was in progress. According to him, there ought to be a presidential intervention to stop Afzal’s hanging.

Reflecting the its ambivalent position on capital punishment, there was however no immediate move by the party to petition the government to have Afzal’s death sentence commuted. The party was of the view that in making his demand, Tarigami was going by the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) politburo member and leader of the party in Parliament, said, “Our party is in principle against capital punishement. But the legal process should be pursued fully. Our position is not ambivalent on terrorism. We believe that such actions should be given the maximum punishment and it should be a deterrent punishment.”