New Delhi: Under fire from Opposition over the delay in carrying out the death sentence of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, government on Tuesday put the onus on President Pratibha Patil saying a decision on the issue has to be taken by her.
Using the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Parliament attack, BJP asked why government was not punishing those held guilty for the December 13, 2001 audacious strike.
"Despite the Supreme Court confirming the sentence, the man (Guru) is still out there in jail... The nation wants to know, why are we hesitating in punishing those guilty for the Parliament attack," Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said.
"We come here every year to remember all those killed in the attack. There are two sides to the issue, one is to pay homage to those killed and the other is to carry out the sentence granted by the Supreme Court on the man responsible for being behind the attack conspiracy," she said at a function in Parliament House to pay homage to nine people who lost their lives in the attack.
BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad asked "Why the delay in Afzal Guru's (case). How long? Why? I think, the sooner that verdict is executed, it will be the biggest homage to those great warriors...," he said.
Asked about the delay, Union Home Secretary RK Singh said the clemency petition of Guru is pending before the Rashtrapati Bhavan, which has to take a call.
"The matter is with the President and it is for the President to decide," he said.
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