The Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of India has issued the following statement to the press.
The secretive hanging of Afzal Guru, a secondary accused in the Parliament attack case, and certain irregularities in completing the judicial process have expectedly created controversy and strengthened the feeling of injustice resulting in further alienation in the Kashmir Valley.
As reported in the media, the authorities did not wait for completion of the judicial process after rejection of the mercy petition that includes the right to fresh review petition. It is a gross violation of the rule of law.
Similarly the authorities took the comical position of informing the victim's family by Speed Post. Obviously it was done in a calculated manner so that the victim and his family could be denied the legal provision of a last meeting before the hanging. These gross violations of procedures and the rule of law are also violation of human rights. This has strengthened the feeling of injustice among the people who were also not satisfied with the legal verdict. This has also resulted in a gross sense of alienation among the people of the Kashmir Valley.
The Central Secretariat of the CPI urges upon the government to take urgent corrective measures and follow the rule of law in regard to performance of last rites of the hanged Afzal Guru.