Row over Afzal Guru body set to hit Kashmir assembly, as MLA breathes fire

An Independent MLA of Jammu and Kashmir, Engineer Rashid, has moved a resolution for the upcoming session of state assembly seeking "return of Afzal Guru's body". Rashid has also invited all the mainstream political parties for a meeting to "chalk out joint strategy to get back" Guru's body.

"I have submitted two resolutions for the upcoming assembly session. One resolution seeks return of Afzal's body and the mortal remains of Maqbool Bhat. The other seeks an end to the capital punishment," Rashid said in his first press conference after his release.

"If National Conference and PDP are serious in what they are saying, they should come forward and help us to pass this resolution".

A visibly angry Rashid accused the Congress party of "murdering" Guru to pave way for Rahul Gandhi to become the Prime Minister of India. "It was done to stop Narendra Modi (from becoming the Prime Minister). Congress has a tradition of sacrificing democracy," he said. "Kashmir can't be an 'atoot ang' (integral part) of India anymore. India has closed all the doors for it".

Rashid, who represents the Langate assembly constituency, said he has invited all the mainstream political parties for a joint meeting on Monday. "I have sent a letter to all of them," he said. "Let's meet so that we can chalk out a joint strategy to get back Afzal's body".

Seeking forgiveness from the people and Afzal's family for not able to "save him from gallows", the independent legislator said the hanging has created clear divisions between India and Kashmir. "I congratulate people for the way they have unmasked the true face of Indian democracy," he said. "Today, there is no moderate and no hardliner, no pro-Indian or anti-India. India has wiped out all these divisions. Today the state of India has lost and people of Kashmir have won".

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