Sukhbirs call for mercy for Rajoana irresponsible: Beant Singh’s grandson

All India Congress Committee secretary and Khanna MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotli on Thursday hit out at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal for seeking clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana who was an ‘unrepentant killer’ of chief minister Beant Singh.

All India Congress Committee secretary and Khanna MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotli on Thursday hit out at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal for seeking clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana who was an ‘unrepentant killer’ of chief minister Beant Singh.

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Taking strong exception to Sukhbir’s ‘irresponsible statement’, Kotli, the grandson of Beant Singh, said SAD had always sided with extremists from the days of the Punjab’s most turbulent period in recent history.

The Congress leader also challenged Sukhbir to name Rajoana as SAD nominee against him in Khanna assembly constituency in the next election to test his credibility and public support.

“SAD president’s stance vis-a-vis Rajoana is not only contemptuous to the judgment of the highest judiciary on India but also diametrically opposed to PM’s statements around the world on zero tolerance to terrorists,” he said in a statement here.

Kotli said SAD leadership was playing politics at a time when its credibility amongst the masses, particularly Sikh community, was at its lowest ebb. “There is no Sikh sentiment in favour of Rajoana. Sukhbir is trying to trap the home minister into taking another U-turn on Rajoana’s death penalty case,” he said.