And his life should become extinct - Afzal debate!!!

And his life should become extinct

Vinayak asked me to respond to Arundhati Roy’s article in support of clemency for Afzal Guru. The lesser I care for the views for pseudo-secularists like her, the more would I ignore her article – till something that happened today made me search google for her reactions. I will come to the todays happening later… but first lets look at what arguments Arudhati Roy makes in support of Afzal Guru’s innocence.

Of course, the Goddess of Small Minorities that she is – her booker is proof enough that she has a way with words… and that she has leveraged aptly to write a loooong article – which basically just makes the following conclusions, which in my view are just her myopic assumptions:

• Afzal Guru is innocent – because SAR Geelani was acquitted by the Indian judiciary in the same crime. But now, Indian judiciary is a mad house – because it found Afzal Guru guilty. Interesting to see how this intelligentia has unilaterally decided what the acceptable verdict has to be. Courts be damned!!! If the verdict is not according to its liking, the trial is termed fake and the verdict is a failure of judiciary. I wonder why none of them thought that the very same judiciary was pronouncing a verdict in error when it acquitted SAR Geelani.

• Afzal Guru’s trial is totally based on all false evidence and there is nothing true in the case. Madame’ Roy could very well have made this case in the court – while the hearings were still in progress and matter under argument. Making such post mortem judgments based on versions which she conveniently wants to believe as true is not only abysmal activism but also pathetic – since it’s a direct insult to the national judiciary. If she had such conviction – she could very well have hired legal help for Afzal earlier on (she is rich enough to afford that) and proved the case in the court of law – rather that damn it now. The case has been heard thrice over and the verdict stands unchanged – ensuring that truth has been given ample opportunity to be validated. Ms. Roy – you better shut up now or join your friend Yassin Malik on a walk to Pakistan – you will get real judicial justice there.

• Afzal Guru was victimized by the then government so as to be able to find premise for launching a war on Pakistan. Which war? And if this war was such a priority, why didn’t it happen. Ms. Roy is probably weaving yet another plot for yet another novel. If at all successive governments had the urge and the spine to launch an open attack on Pakistan, there is a mountain of evidence to substantiate Pakistan’s role in terrorist attacks in India. Or does Madame’ Roy want to make us believe that Pakistan is the lamb of her God and the cruel cunning devil India needed to fabricate a Parliament attack to get an excuse to kill this lamb. If so, may she please emigrate to the lamb-state and be happy there (as a second class citizen – unless she is willing to convert from Christianity).

• Madame Roy also makes a reference to her favorite Gujarat riots here – for no evident reason. Gujarat riots were nothing but an extension of the Godhra carnage – but never has one heard her talk of the 100-odd innocent Hindu’ passengers who were killed. ‘Goddess of Small Minorities’ simply wanted to ensure that readers are reminded of her (pseudo)-secular profile and the dharna’s she did for the minorities then. After all, these events are similar – meant to bolster the same element in her resume.

• As per Ms Roy, the terrorism in Kashmir is due to the para-military forces in the valley – who are plain old-devils and the jehadi’s from across the LOC – the Jaish or Lashkar cadre’s are the men of St. Peter’s guarding the valley. The STF, the SOG and all the security forces in the valley – as per her, should operate without any arms and ammunition and be left ‘both hands tied behind them’ on the street crossings for target practice by the pious young terrorists fresh from their training camps in Afghanistan and POK. She seems to have a blind eye for the fidayeen (suicide attacks) and the guerilla’ war-fare that the security forces have to face each day in the valley.

• Ms. Roy has empathy for the enraged people of Kashmir, for the war-torn zone that they are living in and the pain related to it. But doesn’t care a hoot for the terror victims of Mumbai, the blast victims of Delhi or Varanasi or the families of those innocent men killed on that fateful day of December 13, 2001. Why should she – they were stupid Indians who deserved to dies anyway. She doesn’t care see that Kashmiri’s are facing a pain in the valley – of their own making. They want to wage a covert war – they invited and hosted the mercenaries from petro-funded Jehad groups in illusion of a Nizam-e-Mustafa, they have a mission of Jihad…so the pain is just a bargain for the fruits of the mission. But what did the innocent foot boarders of 7/11 trains bargain for?

And also other arguments that…

• There was a media orgy forcing the judiciary and the system to prosecute someone – Afzal becoming the victim.

• Death Sentence should be abolished as it is not a civil form of punishment.

Well… I neither have the panache’ nor patience like Ms Roy to write reams to weave my story.

My simple question to Ms Roy is – and that’s where today’s this event comes into picture. (Priyadarshini Mattoo case: Santosh Kumar Singh gets death penalty).

With her gift of words, all the above arguments can also be used to plead innocence of Santosh Singh. He was acquitted by a court (like SAR Geelani) – so he must be innocent. He is a victim of media and public orgy to have a result and someone punished. There is total reliance on circumstantial evidence only – so that can be claimed as fabricated. He is a father of an even younger innocent kid – so he should be pardoned. He is also getting the most un-civil punishment – death.

So, let Ms. Roy go out and plead clemency for Santosh Singh as well. In spite of my utter hatred for Santosh and the crime he committed (incidentally, the victim Priyadarshini Mattoo was a Kashmiri too), I would salute Ms Roy for her neutrality and acknowledge that she is truely in there for a belief - and not to just accumulate brownie's for the next Peace Prize.

If death sentence is vulgar, it should be vulgar irrespective of whether the neck belongs to a Muslim or anyone else. If the courts of India are not reliable and unnecessarily trigger happy, they would be so in both cases. If the trial by media (and I have no love for this media either) was trigger for Afzal’s agony, its been worse for Santosh.

So Ms. Roy… Stand up and fight for Santosh too… Otherwise, give me an answer. Why shouldn’t you be tried for treason against India – if you have the audacity to support and share platform with Yasin Malik – a self-confessed murderer out on bail for murder of scores of unarmed Kashmiri Pandits and airmen.

And yeah... Vinayak, to be honest,... in relative terms I do think Afzal got a raw deal... Afterall, if Bitta Karate got away scot free - after murdering more than 40 kashmiri Pandits, and remorselessly confessing it with a brazen face on national TV, Afzal's hands are soaked with blood of just 5 men...

Farooq's death threat...

'SC Judges will be killed if Afzal is hanged - says Farooq Abdullah'

Our 'secular' Farooq Abdullah sent out a veiled death threat to the judges of Supreme Court - who are involved in the Afzal Guru case - for having sentenced him to death. This happened on national TV...

'India will Burn, if Afzal is given death sentence : Farooq Abdullah'

And this very man - Farooq Abdullah - may soon be once again vying to become the President of India... and for all you know, to keep the minority card playing well - he could even end up becoming one soon...

And this happens only in India...

NDTV Big Fight...on "Clemency for Afzal Guru"

NDTV TV Big Fight


Actually, let me first correct the title - the programme was supposedly on the topic "Should there be death penalty?"... But it was more of a discussion on clemency for Afzal Guru.

The discussion run by Vikram Chandra standing lamely in the boxing ring had eminent Supreme court lawyers Prashant Bhushan and Kamini Jaiswal defending Afzal Guru and supporting the clemency claim – and lawyer KK Sud and RSS member Seshadri Chari on the other side.

Anyway… I don’t intend to present a transcript of what happened… just some comments on a few amusing comments from the panel.

Prashant Bhushan : In support of Afzal Guru and clemency plea…

“Afzal Guru isn’t the main culprit. He wasn’t the one who attacked the parliament – but was only one of the people involved in the conspiracy. So he isn’t entitled to the death penalty”

Really interesting to hear this argument from a supposedly leading lawyer of the land. I am sure someday this gentleman won’t hesitate to defend (for the right fee of course!) the Dawood Ibrahims, Tiger Memons or Mehmood Azhars either. And the argument works more appropriately for them. Dawood Ibrahim doesn’t go pillion riding himself with an automatic weapon to shoot his victims, neither does he kidnap anyone himself… nor did Tiger Memon plant the bombs in Bombay markets personally. For that matter Bin Laden is innocent too – he didn’t fly the aircrafts. All of them are innocent people who were just naïve enough to conspire, aid and plan the terror acts. That’s no crime. The deaths that resulted aren’t their doing… it’s the small time terrorists they coaxed, trained and planted who are the real threat to the peace in the world.

“The death sentence is retributive punishment – not reformative. It will lead to further violence.”

True. It’s an eye for eye method. But Mr Bhushan, do you remember what happened when the reformative approach was used with Mahmood Azhar, Hamid Gul etc…Mufti Sayeed still has grandkids who can act in a kidnap drama to ensure that terrorists get to do their catwalk down Lahore streets. Or some legal nuts like you will get them out like Bitta Karate…

I also fully agree with the fact that – he kills one, you kill him, they will come back to kill more – cycle is unending. But what do you want to the country to do. Send out an invitation – please come and kill our innocent citizens in trains, in religious places, in work places, in bus stands, in institutions of learning and in the Parliament (yeah! The security guards outside were innocent – I wouldn’t have really felt as much anguish if they had killed some politicians instead!). And each time we will pardon you, because Gandhigiri is the in-thing. Keep killing more of us… till you get tired.

Kamini Jaiswal: In support of Afzal Guru and clemency plea…

“The trial may not have been transparent and fair”.

Maam’, why this extra-judicial sermonizing now. If you find the trial was not complete and lacked meat – what prevented you from doing the right thing in the court. (Maybe the fee wasn’t good!!!). If you couldn’t do it in court, is it fair to question the court rulings in TV studios? If a lawyer thinks the court process wasn’t complete, its not something to question in the TV studios – unless brownie points matter more to you.

“History has proof that Valmiki was reformed – so Afzal Guru should be given a reformation chance too”.

Wow!!! Suddenly pinko’s regard Valmiki as history when it is convenient. Earlier he was only mythology. I don’t get the argument though – what kind of reform they expect in a terrorist who was given the chance once (he was allowed to surrender once when he was a JKLF cadre – and he ended up rejoining J-e-M).

“Peace process is on in the valley. Not pardoning the terrorists will lead to further escalation in the valley”

This is the most amusing argument of all – and the most widely offered argument by politicians of all colours. A country facing a proxy war – a covert insurgency by terrorists and Jehadi forces is being asked to tie its own hands at its back and offer a sliming face to the bullets of the terrorists – because if you try to defend yourself, the terrorists will not be happy.

People who have allusions that there will not be any violence and the terrorists in the valley will lay down their arms if Afzal is pardoned, either live in la-la land or have a vested interest in saving some terrorists. For others, just look up the escalations in the valley around each so-called confidence building measure – be is Round table conferences, starting of bus-services to POK, organizing local elections or getting a peaceful Amarnath yatra organized. Visit www.tkb.org for some simple data.

For the remaining panel, I worry that a RSS member was invited to present the contrarian view – which unfortunately is used by the media and pseudo-seculars as a point in proof to claim that it’s the right-wing which wants him executed – and convert the issue into a religious one.

For me – I don’t care what RSS thinks – but for me it’s not a religious issue. It’s a national issue – anyone trying to wage war on my country is a threat to the nation and worthy of death sentence – irrespective of his birth… irrespective of whether it’s a Mohammad Afzal Guru or Mahamood Azhar or was a Hindu Veerapan.

Afzal Guru…

A fellow blogger asked me why I hadn’t written about the clamor to get Afzal Guru pardoned. The plea’s for clemency for the Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist behind the attack on Indian Parliament are becoming louder and louder every day – but I just wanted to remain silent.

Here's Why?

• Because Afzal Guru is no different a terrorist than Yasin Malik – who enjoys the status of a ‘leader’ and gets preferred treatment in all places – after soaking his hands in the blood of unarmed men in uniform in the channapora massacre. If Yasin Malik today can roam free and get treatment at Indian Tax payers money in US – why not Afzal Guru. After all, Guru is such a junior terrorist.
• Because if Bitta Karate can aspire to be an MP or MLA sometime soon – and get released thanks to our over zealous legal luminouries – after having killed innumerable Kashmiri Pandits and Indians, and having no remorse for it – why can’t Afzal Guru aspire to live to be in Parliament some day; the same Parliament which he conspired to demolish.
• If Dawood Ibrahim or a Tiger Memon is a state-guest in Pakistan and world has been able to do nothing about it, and India still has diplomatic relations with them… why should not Afzal be a state guest at tax payer’s expense.
• Because, my dear…anything can happen in India for vote banks…A terrorist gets pardoned… and martyrs of the nation get trampled upon. Votes are more precious than the national honor. New recruits will join the ranks left vacant by those who died on that cold December day – protecting the honour and dignity of the Parliament. A pay scale here and there. Some cash allowances will be given to soothe the families of those killed. Ashok Chakra’s will be handed off. But to hurt a terrorist – which will hurt the sentiments of a potential vote bank – is a mortal sin in vote-bank democracy.

Supporters of Clemency

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq – the head of APHC (All Parties Hurriyat Conference) is one of them. For that matter whole of Kashmiri populace is out on streets demanding that Afzal be pardoned. The logic – peace process will be hurt and it will send a negative signal to the people of Kashmir.

If anything – a clemency and pardon will give a boost to the radicals – an impetus and a re-affirmation that India – which can be easily subverted. A state which a soft target for attacks – a soft target to be pummeled and easy to bend. And this has been done repeatedly year after year – by the Jehadi terrorists. Nothing would be worse and more stupid than reinforcing that with yet another submission.

When terrorists were released in exchange of the daughter (Rubaiya Sayeed) of then central Home Minister (and now state ruling coalition party chief Mufti Sayeed) in December 1989 – the same logic was given. And nothing in history of terrorism in Kashmir was a more stupid step – as it gave a new vigor to the terrorists and a belief that they could get away with anything.

When terrorists were released in exchange of IC-814 hijack – it reaffirmed the same analysis that India is a weak soft state – ready to be subverted.

Clemency to a terrorist responsible for the death of scores of officers of the Parliament would be the last nail in the coffin of Indian self-esteem.

Mirwaiz Farooq even has gone on record to state “Death sentences in this modern age when world has reached new highs is retrograde step”. Well said Mirwaiz Farooq sahib.

I wonder if Mirwaiz – in his capacity as the biggest religious leader of Muslims in Kashmir is going to issue a Fatwa proclaiming death penalty as un-Islamic soon. I would love to hear from him on this – and there by proclaim the Islamic sharia law – under which daily beheadings and chopping of arms is done across Islamic countries for petty thefts across the middle east – as un-Islamic. Why is that suddenly Mirwaize thinks there should be a new twist of humanity in laws – when he never had a problem with the sharia law used across Islamic world implementing far more gruesome punishments.

Congress Party of India, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and PDP party – for all of them, it’s a golden opportunity not to be missed – to via against each other and proclaim they are the greatest well-wishers of the Muslims – even if it amounts to getting a terrorist released. Doesn’t matter if there are more 7/11’s and more Malegaon’s after that… each of them offer another photo-opp and vote-bank speech opportunity.

Ghulam Nabi Azad – was inside the Parliament when these terrorists attacked. I really wish the security officers hadn’t resisted the attack with their precious lives and instead let the terrorist walk in and kill him. I wonder if his wife, Shamima Dev Azad would have still wanted clemency for the terrorist.

PDP party – Mufti Sayeed and his big fat daughter have made careers out of black mailing and arm twisting India – first in the stage managed drama of Dec 1989 when Rubaiya was kidnapped to help the terror movement – and now in their political avatar. Mehbooba Mufti has the audacity to threaten that the terror and bloodshed will increase in Kashmir if Afzal isn’t pardoned. This is coming from a political leader. In some other country – she would have been straight away sent to the prison and tried for threatening the nation – but she is a minority leader. She will soon be rewarded with a chief ministership for her blackmail.

Communists of India – the silent assassins of India. The lesser said about these dumb-wits – the better. They have no clue what they demand. They want the clemency because they believe BJP would want the hanging – so they must ask for its repeal.

Pseudo-secular Media and Pseudo-Human rightists – like Arundhati Roy… It’s the in-thing as always.

Arundhati Roy – the Goddesss of Minorities wants clemency for Afzal because she is against death penalty. Was Arundhati on sleeping pills when Dhananjoy Chatterjee was hanged?

She also claims that "The whole case is full of faulty evidence and fabricated stories and to hang someone for something he may not have done is not fair." Does Arundhati Roy have a legal degree in her kitty to proclaim this – on what basis is she being the extra judicial power here – giving a judgment. Is she aware of the background of Afzal – that Afzal has been a JeM and a JKLF member for years…

Arundhati’s and her ilk – have made a business of getting into such show of solidarity. It’s the new-Page 3 syndrome. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them soon in support of clemency for Dawood Ibrahim, Tiger Memons and Abu Salims…

Arundhati – did you care pay a visit to the families of those killed in the Parliament attack by these terrorists – and ask them about the pain and suffering they were going through? I guess not unless flashbulbs accompany you.

Arundhati – you had a lot of pain in your chest for the few thousand Muslim victims in the camps in Gujrat few years ago – that made you spend days with them showing support and solidarity. Do you even know about half a million Kashmiri Pandits, who are refugees for past 1.6 decades….? Ten’s of thousands of whom have been living in in-human refugee camps in Jammu for past 16 years… You didn’t think they were victims enough – just because they were Hindus. Yeah, this is the secularism of the day.

Arundhati – you had scores of issues with India trying to attain nuclear self-reliance and conducting nuclear tests – to build its deterrence against nuclear neighbors and enemies like Pakistan and China. And you refused awards from the then government on this account. I am still waiting for you to return the Bookers Prize – and go to that country and protest the nuclear arms that they built decades ago. Double Standards!! Eh!!!

And as usual our dear Media – it has already made a martyr out of Afzal Guru. Yesterday, a panel discussion on NDTV by Barkha Dutt – had Yasin Malik talking of peace and humanitarianism. Sounds like Pope Benedict preaching Quran …

I don’t know what kind of fools these people in metro’s are – who are taking out rallies and organizing candle light vigils – in the hope that killers/rapists of Jessica Lal, Nitish Katara and Priyadarshani Mattoo will get punished. In a country where terrorists can get away – what crime is a murder or rape?

Like as always, most of us will sign a few online petitions or send emails to President online and be done with it. To hell with whether another terrorist goes unpunished at the end of it. And that’s what even I did to absolve myself… I sent the following mail to the President of India… and decided to forget about the issue.

Dear President,

I, a Kashmiri Pandit, as a victim of terrorism and Jehadi agenda appeal you to NOT pardon any terrorists including Afzal - lest you want to shatter the belief of millions of peace-loving Indians in sovereignty of India and in the fact that India is still unbendable.

If Afzal is pardoned, it will be an insult to the thousands of KP's who were annihilated by ISI sponsored terrorists, a slap on the face of the forces killed while guarding the Parliament and a shame to the honor of the security of the nation - telling the people that vote bank politics is more important than upholding the honor of the nation.

-A Soul in Exile