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People celebrate the hanging of Afzal Guru convicted for the attack on Parliament in 2001, at a rally in Ahmedabad on Saturday. PTI Photo
A lover of Ghalib’s poetry which persuaded him to keep his son’s name after the poet, Afzal Guru had turned to religion in his years in jail. He studied religious books, offered regular prayers and even propagated Islam in confinement, inviting even the jail superintendent to convert to Islam.
In his letter to Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in 2011, which is also the last he wrote before his hanging on February 9, Guru comes across as a man who had resigned to his fate and was ready to face up to his imminent death. But he wanted to be in full control of the image of him that was conveyed to people of Kashmir through media. While he doesn’t confirm or deny his role in the Parliament attack, Guru is particular about asserting his spotless religious credentials as a devout Muslim and a champion of Kashmir’s liberation.
Taking serious exception to the jail superintendent’s revelations to the media that Guru had not read Quran before his imprisonment and that his “ Kashmiri Brahman Pandit family” had only converted to Islam several generations ago, Guru clarifies this was not the case. “ I started reading Quran at the age of six. At the age of 14, I read (Syed Abul Ala) Maudaudi’s translation of Quran. I also read (Maudaudi’s) Khutbaat, Al-jihad fil Islam, Purdah etc,” Guru wrote. “My family may have been Brahman seven hundred years ago but it is a lie that we converted only a few years ago.
Guru writes about how he had, on the contrary, invited jail superintendent to convert to Islam. “I invited jail superintendent into the embrace of Islam’s message of universality and unity of God,” the letter reads.
The letter refers to attack on Parliament as an act that is related to the conflict in Kashmir. “It is Kashmir conflict that led to the attack on Indian Parliament. Hanging me or holding me guilty will not stop the resistance or the attacks in future,” Guru writes. “ In Parliament attack case, first sessions court, then High Court and subsequently Supreme Court has held me guilty. Now Congress government also thinks I am culpable. This is the reality. But martyrdom is my craving and wish. It will be my biggest prize”.
Guru also seeks forgiveness from Kashmiris for his mercy petition. “ I feel deep regret and shame for submitting my mercy petition. I did this on the urging of my family, friends and sympathisers. I apologize to my community for this mistake,” the letter reads.
The letter details Guru’s efforts to be shifted to Srinagar jail till the time he was executed. “ Since 2009, I have been trying hard for my tranfer to Srinagar jail. I also wrote to Home Department but in their response the department has said that the JK government is not ready to take me. But this is wrong. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been telling media that his government had no objection to my shifting to Srinagar,” Guru writes. “I am saying that either hang me fast or transfer me to a Srinagar jail till the time government takes a final decision about me”.
dear sonam…please get your fact’s correct…we have so many pseudo intellectual in India .we don’t want more…. .
I can’t accept him to be a devout muslim and the champion of Kashmir’s liberation.
I have read about his trial which a majority of kashmiris feel was unfair…but acts of terrorism can never be justified….be it by any religious group.Because of a few fundamentalists and fanatics, the whole community gets the blame…’cos people always like to highlight about the blacksheeps of a community. I am proud of my faith but I can’t accept this definition of a ‘devout muslim’.I have seen ‘devout muslims’ and my idea is completely different about it.But if he was wrongly convicted then for that Judgement will be delivered someday.InshaAllah
You peoples dont have any jobs…criminals should get punished….
yes, he never got fair trail. He is our hero he is our freedom fighter.
Why cant u understand the truth, bhagat singh was a terrorist for english but he was a hero, a freedom fighter for india.
Who is right, bretains or indians.
He is our great hero, he sacricificed himself for our free nation.
We are kashmiris we are not indians, kashmir was a free and indipendent nation, and so it will be again.
You will become an Indian, in addition to being a Kashmiri. You will go there happily, or kicking and screaming. But you WILL reach that destination, which is your fate in life. It is stupid and senseless of you Kashmiri independence seeking fools to be kicking a gift horse in the mouth. Look at where Pakistan has ended up – it’s only a fool’s paradise. A barbarian, feudal society, dependent on foreign aid, no independent foreign policy. A backward, primitive society, one step ahead of Afghanistan or Africa. Being part of India is your only hope of remaining civilized. Otherwise, the Pakistanis will use the “islam” argument to raze your culture back to the stone ages. Knock some sense in your heads and wake up from your stupid dream – Pakistan’s embrace has been the kiss of death for every people. That country exists to feed its military industrial complex (read – Pakistan Armed Forces, Incorporated) using Islam as a bogey to fool people into doing and accepting insane things.
You are absolutely right, because of some stupids everyone get suffered.
he didn get a fair trail http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/unanswered-questions-are-the-remains-of-the-day/article4397789.ece?homepage=true
In one of his interviews, he mentioned about one of his main motivation being Money, i wonder why the lip sympathizers are shouting about circumstances and crying in front of holy cows of English Media for not given fair trial. And those addullahs from kasmir, where were they all these years & what have they ever done for our kashmiri brothers and sisters? All they ever do is mostly to play golf and appear on Ndtv. My heart doesn’t bleed for a Terrorist but surely bleeds for kashmiri people. Hope they see through politics from all sides and stay strong. They are victim but so are we, of votebank politics.
really? He has only given two interviews. Can you give us the link of the interview you claim exist?
You are right, some people are selfish and used the comman man to fullfeel their moto..
I think what you are reffereing to by “main motivation being Money” is the confession statement that was released. Which he says was under duress.
I agree and appreciate you other part of comments.
Mr. Kunal majumdar, do remove your blinkers and find the videos on you tube. I’ve seen all of them & the nation has also seen it except you. The problem with so called Truth seekers is that when occasionally they do find the TRUTH, they’re clueless and wonder what to do with it. So keep the blinkers on and pretend they never saw it!!
Yeah Iam also going to rally for someone who just masturbated.. pls take my photograph and write an aricle.