To Shri Prenab Mukerjee
I am writing this letter to you with deep sorrow for the hanging of Afzal Guru by the Indian Government on Saturday (9th February 2013), in a very secret manner. You rejected his mercy petition when you knew the sensitive nature of this trial and what it would do to the Kashmiri society. Perhaps you rejected his mercy petition without examining trial records and other relevant documents in which his guilt was never established beyond reasonable doubt. The fact is that he went legally unrepresented from the date of his arrest till his so-called confession was recorded under physical torture.
Kasmiris have understood as to how Indian government and opposition parties were exploiting the issue for their vested political benefits. Everyone in Kashmir believes that Guru was an innocent Kashmiri whose hanging was for political dividends and thereby stick to the power by means of such dirty tactics.
As you might have heard from different sources that his family was not informed, because your Indian Government and champions of democracy did not want Afzal Guru’s family to exercise this legal right. Alternatively, perhaps your Government was so hell-bent on executing him that, they feared informing the family would have delayed the execution. This Informing of wife that her mercy petition had been rejected through speed post is a joke and most shameful act of Indian government that can never be forgotten and forgiven. Government of India has once again committed a heinous crime, serious violation of human right by denying a person to meet his family before going to gallows.
It is equally shameful, deplorable and unforgivable that New Delhi has crossed all the lines to violate fundamental principles of natural justice by denying Guru’s family his remains to be buried as per their wishes according to our religion. Indian Government must explain why it displayed such urgency in executing Afzal before those others, whose mercy petitions has already been rejected. Every Kashmir’s heart bleeds and is disappointed with India.
It is equally important to note that Government of India never took cognizance of unlawful killings that involve a large number of Kashmiri victims. Many of the unlawful killings in Jammu and Kashmir were carried out by your armed forces and paramilitary troops with Impunity In Jammu and Kashmir their crimes were not restricted to the commission of unlawful killings but to other human right violations like rape, torture and ‘disappearance’ in their custody.
Afzal Guru murder has pumped new enthusiasm in our blood to raise our voices against atrocities of Indian government and press for the settlement of Kashmir issue as per aspirations of people.
Yours Truly
Mufti Nasir ul Islam
Nominated Mufti Azam of Jammu &kashmir
THIS IS THE LETTER TO PRESIDENT OF INDIA BY MUFTI NASIR UL ISLAM, NOMINATED MUFTI AZAM OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR