BJP: Will govt delay execution of Ajmal Kasab

BJP sought to know if the govt would delay Ajmal Kasab execution for vote-bank politics or deal with it on a priority basis.

New Delhi: As the lone surviving perpetrator of Mumbai terror attacks and death row convict Ajmal Kasab filed a mercy petition before the President, BJP Tuesday sought to know if the government would delay his execution for vote-bank politics or deal with it on a priority basis.

"BJP would like to know from the government if his mercy petition would be dealt in the same manner in which Afzal Guru mercy petition has been dealt with...Will the government do it on some priority basis or delay it and do vote-bank politics," BJP Chief Spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters. He alleged the government wants to delay the execution of the death of Kasab in the same way as it is doing with Afzal Guru`s. "There is no law which prevents expeditious disposal of mercy petitions. We should not forget that even if it the case of Afzal Guru or the case of Ajmal Kazab, the nature of the crime involves attack on India," Prasad said. On death row for the brazen Mumbai terror attacks, Kasab has filed a mercy petition before the President, a fortnight after losing his legal battle for life in the Supreme Court. PTI