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Delhi Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna has sent the file on the mercy petition of Afzal Guru, who is facing a death sentence in the 2001 Parliament attack case, to the Union Home Ministry. On May 19, Khanna was given the file on Guru''s mercy petition for a second time by the Delhi Government, which had clarified some of its remarks that concerned the implications of law and order with regard to his execution. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had then said President Pratibha Devisingh Patil would take a decision on Guru''s mercy petition. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government has faced criticism from almost all fronts for its ''lackadaisical'' attitude in the case. The Bharatiya Janata Party has protested against the delay by the Delhi Government in giving its opinion on the mercy petition moved by Afzal Guru, to show that this case was one of terrorism alone and had nothing to do with any community in particular. Despite dithering by the government on the question of Guru'' hanging, Congress has made it clear that it favoured such a step at an early date. Guru was awarded the death sentence by a Delhi court on December 18, 2002 after being convicted of conspiracy to attack Parliament on December 13, 2001, waging war against the country and murder. Delhi High Court upheld the death sentence on October 29, 2003 and his appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court two years later on August four, 2005. Following this, Afzal filed a mercy petition with the President, who forwarded it to Union Home Ministry for its comments. The 2001 Parliament attack, led to the death of a dozen people; five terrorists, six policemen and a civilian. It also caused increased tensions between India and Pakistan resulting in the 2001-2002 India-Pakistan standoff.

Afzal Guru case: Delhi Lt Governor sends mercy plea to Home Ministry