No MHA confirmation on relief to Balwant Singh Rajoana, political war of words

In New Delhi, Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala termed the development “painful and shameful”.

State Congress president Sunil Jakhar called it a move by BJP to establish itself as a “separate entity” in Punjab by breaking free from the SAD.

Welcoming the reported move to commute Rajoana’s death sentence and release eight other Sikh prisoners, Badal said the Centre’s decision is “ statesmanlike, far-sighted and humane”.

In New Delhi, a Home Ministry official said the proposal to commute Rajoana’s death sentence is “yet to be sent for the President’s assent”.

Amarinder, who was in Ludhiana, said his government had sent a list of 17 TADA prisoners held in Punjab for over 14 years, as required by the Centre, and is yet to receive names of nine prisoners who the MHA had decided to grant remission.

Rajoana was in that list of 17, as he was a TADA prisoner who had completed more than 14 years in jail, Amarinder added.

A Punjab Police constable at the time, Rajoana was a “back-up suicide bomber” in the August 31, 1995 assassination of Beant Singh.

If effected, the remission would make him eligible for parole for the first time in 24 years.

Congress MP from Ludhiana and Beant Singh’s grandson Ravneet Singh Bittu reacted sharply at reports that Rajoana’s death sentence could be commuted.

Slamming the reported move, Bittu accused the BJP of doing petty politics to woo Sikh voters despite the Prime Minister vowing to fight terrorism on a global platform, PTI reported. “Who are they to commute the death sentence to life term when the Supreme Court has given capital punishment (to Rajoana),” Bittu said in Ludhiana. “He is a dreaded terrorist and should not be spared at any cost.”

Jakhar said, “This is an open secret now that the BJP is trying to establish itself in Punjab as a separate entity to break free from the Akalis, and I think this is a step in that direction. They (BJP) are not bothered about Sikh sentiments…it is a well-thought -out political move to establish themselves in Punjab…. We also apprehend all these could lead to some kind of resurgence in anti-Punjab activities…”

Punjab BJP president Shwait Malik said, “I do not want to speak on this. As of now, it is not clear to me…there are assumptions only until now. I will comment only when there is clarity.”

Rajoana’s March 31, 2012 hanging was stayed after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) filed a mercy petition before the President on behalf of Rajoana, who never challenged his conviction. In 2010, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had commuted the death sentence awarded to another accused Jagtar Singh Hawara by a Chandigarh court after Hawara challenged the death penalty.

The SGPC’s petition to the President had come days before Rajoana was to be hanged. It came on the orders of the Akal Takht.