The ruling Congress party is shamelessly delaying the execution of Afzal Guru convicted in 2001 attack on Parliament. He has been found guilty in all stages of Judiciary and the President has to now decide on his clemency petition. But the file I believe is still with the Sheila Dikshit Government for the last two years! Only after she acts on this, the President can take a call.  The Government of India must take bold step to execute Afzal to send out a loud and clear message to the world that the Government will have zero tolerance to terrorism and its perpetrators.

Following 9/11, the USA crushed the Al Qeda and other terrorists outfit in Afghanistan and Iraq in such a way that USA did not encounter any repeat of the terrorist attack. So much so that the USA does not even hesitate to enter Pakistani territory to attack the Al Qeda hide outs. Look at the way how Russia is hitting at the terrorists in Georgia or Israel handling Palestinian crisis or the Chinese handling the Tibetan movement.

I am not justifying their acts, what I am highlighting is their sense of urgency and ruthlessness while responding to any threat to their interest. While India cannot perhaps match the US style of aggression  of entering into another country‘s territory  till the time  it  becomes the first or the second large economic superpower in the world,  India can  at least show its strong resolve to protect its sovereignty  the way China or Israel does  without worrying about what the rest of the world would think  or the impact on the  vote bank. Not very long ago, an Indian Airlines flight IC-814 flying from Nepal to New Delhi was hijacked on December 24, 1999 by five Pakistani Nationals.

The hijackers stabbed 25-year-old Rupin Katyal, who later died of his injuries. Ultimately, the plane landed in Afghanistan, where the hijackers agreed to release their hostages in exchange for the release of three extremists. India Government (it was BJP in power that time) succumbed to the demand of the hijackers. The same released extremists (Maulana Masood Azhar, Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh) were later found to have a big role in 9/11 attack in USA.

So what I mean is whether it is the Congress Government or the BJP Government, India has been always succumbing to terrorists’ pressure. The Government fears that if they hang Afzal Guru, the Pakistani authority will in turn hang Sarabjit Singh lodged in Pakistani Jail and then there could be an impact on the Muslim Vote bank. The Government now has to take courageous action without any vote bank obsession and follow the ruthless model of China or Israel. The Government must not hide their cowardice and self interest in the name of tolerance or patience. After all it is our brave soldiers who are giving their lives for the inaction of our politicians.

Hanging Afzal without any further delay is the least the Government must do now to demonstrate their renewed resolve to protect interests of our country at any cost.