Akali Dal–Congress face–off on Balwant Singh Rajoana’s release demand
The Hindu
‘Clemency could have devastating ramifications for Punjab’s future’
The Congress party and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) are all set for a face–off on the demand of the release of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted for the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
A day after SAD president Sukhbir Badal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ensure expeditious release of Rajoana, Congress Lok Sabha MP Ravneet Singh on Tuesday wrote to the Prime Minister not to give any relief to him as it could have devastating ramifications for Punjab’s future.
Mr. Ravneet, grandson of Beant Singh, said he senses a sinister design in the repeated pleas of the SAD leaders to secure the expeditious release of Rajoana.
“..I shall be extremely grateful if you can kindly personally intervene and direct the authorities concerned to conduct a detailed inquiry into this extremely sensitive matter to unearth the real intentions behind these repeated requests for the release of Shri Rajoana by these political leaders,” wrote Mr. Ravneet, urging the PM not to provide any kind of relief to him and other such dreaded terrorists which could have very devastating ramifications for the future of Punjab. “Any favourable decision on giving clemency to Shri Rajoana will send a very wrong message and further embolden the enemies of the country to give shape to their sinister plots against our motherland.”
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had on April 18 written to the Prime Minister, urging him to intervene and ensure the expeditious release of Rajoana. He also called for the release of all such Sikh prisoners.
Mr. Badal said the issue warranted the urgent attention of the Prime Minister since a clemency petition under Article 72 of the Constitution, which was filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), was still pending with the President. He said the Supreme Court had also issued a notice to the Union Government to take a call on the mercy petition of Mr. Rajoana by April 30.
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