Jammu, Sep.15 (ANI): Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar has rejected suggestions of anti-graft campaigner Anna Hazare being a member of any Hindu radical outfit, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Speaking at a religious ceremony here on Wednesday, Sri Sri Ravishankar said: "I don't think this is true. I have known Annaji for many days, this cannot be true. It is not necessary that all patriots belong to the RSS."
Ravishankar also said it was wrong for people to file mercy petitions for people who had been sentenced by the Supreme Court, like in the case of Afzal Guru, the prime accused in the December 2001 attack on parliament.
"People should not indulge in competition to free criminals. They should indulge in competitions to strengthen the country," he said.
The support for mercy petition for parliament attack case accused Afzal Guru gained momentum after President Pratibha Patil pardoned the sentence of one of the killers of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Guru's execution was stayed following a mercy petition filed by his wife and federal government fearing backlash from a section of the society. President Patil will take a final call on the mercy petition on Guru.
The delay in his execution has triggered a fierce outcry by many in the public and political spheres of India, who have attributed the stay on Guru's death sentence to the perceived 'soft' attitude of the federal government towards extremists.
The assembly of Kashmir is expected to discuss a mercy resolution in its forthcoming session that is scheduled to begin from September 26.
Certain analysts believe that Guru's execution could break the prevailing 'peace' in the restive Kashmir region, give political ammunition to separatists and hamper the dialogue process initiated by the federal government to restore normalcy in the strife-ridden valley. (ANI)
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