Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has reignited the debate on Afzal Guru, 2001 Parliament attack convict. Speaking against the death penalty, Tharoor said, "This (Afzal Guru) is not a terrorist to actually himself pull the gun or set up a bomb."
Tharoor said, "The government of India I believe, did not distinguish itself in the manner in which it was done and in the same time, I don't like the death penalty."
Here are excerpts from the interview:
CNN-IBN:So if I was to then ask you, when a former home minister like P Chidambaram makes a statement like Afzal Guru being hung, was perhaps not the best example of Indian legalism. How do I look at that? Should I look at that as a nationalist comment? Should I look at that as a patriotic comment? How do you I look at that?
Shashi Tharoor: I think you should look at it like a specific political leader expressing his views on a public issue. Look, I myself have stated that I'm against the death penalty on all circumstances for everybody. I have said this on the record.
CNN-IBN:You believe Afzal Guru should not have been hanged?
Shashi Tharoor: I believe even terrorists and in this case, this is not a terrorist to actually himself pull the gun or set up a bomb.
CNN-IBN:Should he have been hung?
Shashi Tharoor: As far as I am concerned, under the existing laws and practices of our country, he got due process through all judicial processes and was hanged. That doesn't deny me the right of an Indian citizen in a democracy to continue arguing that the death penalty should be abolished.
CNN-IBN:Even in the case of Afzal Guru? Despite the fact that the case went all up to Supreme Court literally at the stroke of midnight hours?
Shashi Tharoor: As you know, the Supreme Court can only apply the existing law of the land. In the second point, I mean in manner that we did it did not do us credit as a government because of the fact that we didn't notify the family in time. They got the notification after the news office hanging.
CNN-IBN:You were unfair? Your government was unfair to Afzal Guru. Is that what you're saying?
Shashi Tharoor: The government of India, let's not say yours or mine,
CNN-IBN:Okay, the government of India...the then government of India led by the Congress party.
Shashi Tharoor: The government of India I believe, did not distinguish itself in the manner in which it was done and in the same time, I don't like the death penalty. So these are individual views, Mr Chidambaran expressed his views. I am expressing my views.
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