A day after Pranab Mukherjee got elected as the 13th President of India, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray appealed to him not to grant clemency to 2001 Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru.

Afzal’s mercy plea is considered as Pranab Mukherjee’s first major challenge as the head of the state.

The issue had also cropped up during Pranab’s campaigning in Kashmir where Independent legislator Engineer Rashid presented a memorandum to him seeking clemency for the parliament attack convict.

Convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 Parliament attack, Afzal was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court in 2004.