Ex-Home Secretary R.K Singh says Aiyar wrong to advocate return of Afzal Guru's remains to family

Former Home Secretary R.K.Singh on Tuesday said that politicians like Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar should refrain from playing politics on matters of terrorism.

Reacting to Aiyar's statement that the remains of December 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru should be returned to his family, Singh said, "People should refrain from doing politics on matters of terrorism."

He said that when various courts of the land,including the Supreme Court, had ruled that Afzal Guru was guilty and deserved to be hanged for his role in the December 13, 2001 terror strike on Parliament, nobody should be questioning that verdict.

He said and asked, "The courts justified Afzal's involvement (in the attack on Parliament). Is Mani Shankar (Aiyar) higher than the court?"

Aiyar had on Tuesday advocated returning the remains of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru to his family.

Aiyar's remarks came shortly after the Home Ministry, as per sources, rejected the demand by several PDP leaders to hand over the remains to Afzal's family.

"I was very upset when he was hanged. There wasn't any conclusive evidence (to hang him)," Aiyar said.

"I think an injustice was done. I was always in favour of returning Afzal Guru's remains. We can put the issue behind us by handing over the remains," he said further.