Srinagar, Feb 14: Kashmir High Court Bar Association Thursday staged a protest here demanding that body of Muhammad Afzal Guru, who was hanged at Tihar jail last Saturday, should be returned to his family.
The Bar members took out a procession from Lower Court at Lal Chowk here raising pro-Afzal slogans.
“We demand his body should be returned to his family for decent burial,” said Advocate Bashir Sidiq who along with other members of the lawyers’ body led the protests.
They said the Government of India’s decision to hang Afzal was political.
“Even the former Home Minister P Chidambaram is on record having told the Parliament that he (Afzal) is in the queue and a decision on his execution will be taken when his turn comes. But they jumped the queue to hang Afzal for their political interests,” the lawyers told media persons.
The 43-year old Afzal of Jageer, Doabgah in North Kashmir’s Sopore town, convicted in the attack on Parliament in 2001, was hanged on Saturday at 8 a.m in Tihar. He was buried in the prison premises in a secret operation after rejection of his mercy plea by President Pranab Mukherjee on February 3. Afzal is survived by his wife Tabasum and 14-year old son Ghalib.
The State Government on Wednesday said it has forwarded to New Delhi the representation received from the family of Afzal seeking his body for decent burial.
Former Bar President Nazir Ahmad Ronga said Afzal’s mercy petition was lying at 27th number in the queue with President Pranab Mukherjee.
“The decision on the petition was taken out of turn. It was a hasty and secretive disposal of the case which is unheard of anywhere,” Ronga said.
He said the decision to hang Afzal would have ramifications on the political situation in Kashmir. “It has come as an absolute set back to the peace process and it has refreshed the anti-India sentiment in Kashmir,” Ronga said.
The lawyers’ body said Afzal became “victim of politics”.
The protesting lawyers were stopped outside the Court by a heavy contingent of police from moving ahead towards Lal Chowk. The lawyers later dispersed peacefully.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:00:00 IST