New President may fetch new life to Afzal
By Amba Charan Vashishth
The way the process of selection of candidates for the country's highest office of President of India is moving, it makes amply clear that political expediency will prevail over merit for the august office. The kind of political haggling and the spirit of give-and-take pervading at the moment leaves no one in doubt that interests of individuals, political parties and commitment towards the powers-that-be are overtaking the interests of the nation. Prime minister's office already stands eroded. God save the new President!.
The decision on the mercy petition submitted to the President of India by Parliament attack main accused, Mohammad Afzal Guru, sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of India, seems to have been made to hang fire with a definite plan and design. President, Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam, had forwarded the mercy petition to the Manmohan government whose Home Ministry sent it onwards to the Delhi government, again ruled by the Congress. The Delhi government could find no time to send its comments and recommendations to the Union government for the last over seven-eight months.
Now it looks it is being done according to a well thought-out plan. President Kalam is on record having declared that he will take a decision on the mercy petition as per law of the land. As the things stand, the UPA government is not sure that Dr. Kalam would put his thumb mark on whatever recommendation it makes to him. Therefore, to avoid any political embarrassment it preferred to wait for a few months. In the process, Afzal Guru too has got a breather for life. If his petition were rejected, everybody knows he would have been hanged by this time.
Everybody is aware that it is the discretion of the government in power to take a decision within hours or prolong it for months and years. The mercy petition of the killers of late Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi and that of General Vaidya was rejected within hours. It is difficult to say whether the government in power at that time was more efficient and prompt than the present one.
Whatever it is, the fact remains that the delay is being done with a definite political purpose. If the UPA is able to get a pliant individual elected to this august office, as the present course of events indicate, it looks the Parliament attack accused Afzal who was instrumental in the killing of about eight security men who staked their life in saving the life of the nation's top leadership then holed up in the Parliament House, may get reprieve and be saved from going to the gallows.
As the events seem to be unfolding, the UPA government may either get his mercy petition accepted before the Gujarat assembly elections due in October-November 2007 or just before the Parliament elections due in early 2009. In both the events, Afzal Guru and the politicians stand to gain.
By Amba Charan Vashishth
The way the process of selection of candidates for the country's highest office of President of India is moving, it makes amply clear that political expediency will prevail over merit for the august office. The kind of political haggling and the spirit of give-and-take pervading at the moment leaves no one in doubt that interests of individuals, political parties and commitment towards the powers-that-be are overtaking the interests of the nation. Prime minister's office already stands eroded. God save the new President!.
The decision on the mercy petition submitted to the President of India by Parliament attack main accused, Mohammad Afzal Guru, sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of India, seems to have been made to hang fire with a definite plan and design. President, Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam, had forwarded the mercy petition to the Manmohan government whose Home Ministry sent it onwards to the Delhi government, again ruled by the Congress. The Delhi government could find no time to send its comments and recommendations to the Union government for the last over seven-eight months.
Now it looks it is being done according to a well thought-out plan. President Kalam is on record having declared that he will take a decision on the mercy petition as per law of the land. As the things stand, the UPA government is not sure that Dr. Kalam would put his thumb mark on whatever recommendation it makes to him. Therefore, to avoid any political embarrassment it preferred to wait for a few months. In the process, Afzal Guru too has got a breather for life. If his petition were rejected, everybody knows he would have been hanged by this time.
Everybody is aware that it is the discretion of the government in power to take a decision within hours or prolong it for months and years. The mercy petition of the killers of late Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi and that of General Vaidya was rejected within hours. It is difficult to say whether the government in power at that time was more efficient and prompt than the present one.
Whatever it is, the fact remains that the delay is being done with a definite political purpose. If the UPA is able to get a pliant individual elected to this august office, as the present course of events indicate, it looks the Parliament attack accused Afzal who was instrumental in the killing of about eight security men who staked their life in saving the life of the nation's top leadership then holed up in the Parliament House, may get reprieve and be saved from going to the gallows.
As the events seem to be unfolding, the UPA government may either get his mercy petition accepted before the Gujarat assembly elections due in October-November 2007 or just before the Parliament elections due in early 2009. In both the events, Afzal Guru and the politicians stand to gain.
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