Congress distances itself from Shashi Tharoor comment on Afzal Guru hanging

NEW DELHI: Congress today distanced itself from party MP Shashi Tharoor's controversial remarks that Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's hanging was both "wrong" and "badly handled".

"Due process of law was followed. Supreme Court convicted him and the execution was the culmination of the judicial process. In no way, any law was contravened," party spokesman Ajoy Kumar said.

"Government was not involved... Government had no option but to execute the court order. Individuals may have different positions," he told reporters.

He was asked a host of questions over Tharoor's tweet "I think the hanging was both wrong & badly handled. Family should have been warned, given a last meeting & body returned."

Guru was hanged on February 9, 2013 inside Tihar Jail. Tharoor has often courted controversy with his remarks. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi quite a few times recently which was frowned upon by Congress. Last year, he was removed as party spokesperson for his praise of Modi.