The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday held an emergency meeting of its executive committee and asked the Centre to take quick decision on Balwant Singh Rajoana mercy petition.
Rajoana, a death row convict in former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh’s assassination case, is adamant to go on hunger strike seeking withdrawal of the mercy petition, which was filed by the SGPC in March 2012.
SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said, “The Union government is testing the patience of Sikhs by keeping pending the petition filed to the President of India in 2012 by the gurdwara body. They should either commute the sentence or upheld the death sentence. During a recent meeting with Rajoana, he told me that he is not afraid of any decision.”
Dhami met Rajoana in the Patiala jail on Tuesday, after which he (Rajoana) postponed his hunger strike. After the meeting, Rajoana in a letter also criticised the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the SGPC for failing to ensure decision on the petition. In the letter, he said the SAD and SGPC were doing formalities and the SAD also failed press for decision on the plea during their alliance with the BJP.
The executive committee has decided to call a meeting of representatives of Panthic parties to discuss the matter on December 2.
{{/usCountry}}The executive committee has decided to call a meeting of representatives of Panthic parties to discuss the matter on December 2.
{{/usCountry}}In this meeting, Panthic representatives from the 11-member committee formed earlier on the issue of Sikh prisoners on the directions of the Akal Takht will be invited, besides other representatives. He said after this, the SGPC will again convene its executive meeting so that a concrete decision can be taken according to the Panthic sentiments.
The SGPC president said in Thursday’s executive meeting, Rajoana was also appealed to withdraw his decision to go on hunger strike.