Rajoana clemency plea: SAD (Punar-Surjit) accuses Centre of insensitivity towards Sikhs

Reacting to the Centre’s stand in the Supreme Court, Singh alleged that parties controlled from Delhi sought to rule Punjab, but lacked genuine sympathy for Punjabis, particularly the Sikh community

Two days after the Centre opposed commuting the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) president Giani Harpreet Singh accused successive governments of being insensitive to Sikh concerns.

Rajoana also called for an honourable resolution of pending demands concerning the Sikh community. (HT)

Reacting to the Centre’s stand in the Supreme Court, Singh alleged that parties controlled from Delhi sought to rule Punjab, but lacked genuine sympathy for Punjabis, particularly the Sikh community.

He said Rajoana had spent 31 years in prison, including more than 15 years on death row, and termed his prolonged incarceration in a death cell a human rights concern. Singh criticised the Centre for opposing the clemency plea, citing the possibility of a deterioration in Punjab’s law-and-order situation.

Singh also questioned the denial of parole to Jagtar Singh Hawara to visit his ailing mother and accused the Centre of failing to facilitate impartial elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

He also drew a comparison with the cases of those convicted in the 1984 anti-Sikh violence and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, arguing that the treatment of prisoners had been inconsistent. He questioned why Rajoana continued to remain on death row despite the passage of decades.

The SAD (Punar-Surjit) president urged the Centre to honour the assurance, which he claimed had been made during the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, by releasing Rajoana and other Sikh prisoners.

He also called for an honourable resolution of pending demands concerning the Sikh community.