Afzal's mercy plea: Congress in a spot

Days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi cautioned against targeting the minority community, the party found itself on a sticky wicket.

This was after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today appealed to the prime minister to sympathetically consider the mercy petition of Mohammad Afzal, a convict in the 2001 Parliament attack case, who is to be hanged on October 20.

Seeking Presidential clemency, Azad cited the public sentiment in the Valley against the verdict.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi fumbled for words when asked about the party's stance. "The Congress neither endorsed nor rejected the suggestion," Singhvi said, adding that the party would wait for completion of the process (from the home ministry's views to the President's decision) before commenting.