President-elect Pranab refuses comment on Guru clemency
July 23rd, 2012 - 3:35 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, July 23 (IANS) President-elect Pranab Mukherjee Monday said he could not comment on the clemency plea of 2001 parliament attack convict Afzal Guru till he assumed office and studied the issue.
“I can’t comment on Afzal Guru until I have assumed office and gone through the issue,” Mukherjee told CNN-IBN in an interview, a day after he was elected India’s 13th president with an overwhelming majority of parliament members and legislators voting for him across the political spectrum.
It is one of the hottest issues awaiting his decision.
The comment came as the Shiv Sena, which supported his candidature, demanded that Mukherjee reject the mercy petition filed by Guru.
“We have many expectations from you. We urge you to reject Afzal Guru’s mercy plea and hang him. Pranabda, you should do this on priority basis and should kick-start your career as president of India. It is an august conduct that we expect from you,” Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray said in his latest edition of party mouthpiece Saamna.
The president-elect, who has held key ministerial portfolios of finance, defence and external affairs in an eventful four-decade political career, was backed not just by partners of the ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) but also by the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Shiv Sena, which broke ranks with the opposition alliance.
And this is what he said moved him.
“I’m particularly happy that those who committed, particularly those who don’t belong to our party scrupulously adhered to their commitment and voted for me. That doesn’t normally happen. I consider this a great reward to my long stay in public life.”
Mukherjee, one of India’s most experienced and canny politicians, also said animosity between political parties had left him disturbed.
“The hatred between political parties bothers me,” he said.
Assuring that he would be a non-political president, Mukherjee said he would work for “everybody”.
“It has been a long way from Mirati to Raisina. I was a very naughty child. I always got into trouble,” he told CNN-IBN.
Mukherjee will taken oath Wednesday before assuming the office of president of India and moving into Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- No comment on Guru clemency: President-elect Pranab (Lead) - Jul 23, 2012
- No regrets on not becoming PM, says Pranab - Jun 29, 2012
- Maharashtra leaders congratulate Pranab - Jul 23, 2012
- Pranab is India's next president, Sangma bruised (Intro Roundup) - Jul 22, 2012
- Pranab heads for Rashtrapati Bhavan, Sangma bruised (Roundup) - Jul 22, 2012
- Trinamool should support Pranab to save face: Congress - Jul 16, 2012
- 'BJP not to sever ties with Shiv Sena over Pranab' - Jun 20, 2012
- Bal Thackeray targets Congress, Gandhi family - Sep 07, 2012
- Khurshid 'dismayed' over Gadkari's Afzal comments - Jul 13, 2010
- Pranab meets Bal Thackeray, thanks him for support - Jul 14, 2012
- Afzal Guru's mercy petition not yet sent to president - Feb 23, 2011
- Pranab arrives in Kolkata, to meet supporters Monday - Jul 08, 2012
- 'Pranab's son wants to fill father's Lok Sabha seat' - Jul 24, 2012
- Sequence being followed on mercy pleas, says Congress - May 27, 2011
- Delaying Afzal Guru's execution is vote bank politics: BJP - May 27, 2011
Tags: 13th president, bal thackeray, clemency, cnn, cnn ibn, external affairs, janata, long stay, mercy petition, ministerial portfolios, opposition alliance, parliament members, political career, political spectrum, pranab mukherjee, president elect, president of india, priority basis, progressive alliance, shiv sena