Did spineless UPA government buckled under pressure on Rajoana execution?
Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 08:30
By Naresh Kumar Sharma
CHANDIGARH: The staying of execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convict in Beant Singh assassination case on Wednesday seems to be bizarre and unprecedented owing to the fact Rajoana had not himself sought mercy from the President and in fact had been maintaining that he should be hanged.
The question is did the spineless UPA government at centre which has been already rocked by letter bomb pertaining to Army chief' s letter exposing country's lack of defence preparedness buckled under pressure of Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD-BJP combine government.
The UPA government at the Centre on Wednesday has decided to put on hold the March 31 hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was awarded the death sentence for the assassination of chief minister Beant Singh. The execution stands deferred till the President decides on the two mercy petitions filed on his "behalf". The petitions were moved by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee.
On Wednesday, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal met President Pratibha Patil and pleaded that the hanging should be kept on hold since the state was facing a law and order situation owing to several with strikes and demonstrations being held in various parts of the state. He also apprised President that tension was running high due to Rajoana execution scheduled on March 31.
The staying of execution is also not unprecedented but questionable as country's top office must uphold the law of the land rather than bypassing it. Interestingly, the
President's office has forwarded the mercy petitions to the home ministry to be processed and comments be sought from governor of Punjab.
Even though execution has been stayed by centre, mercy petitions moved on behalf of Rajoana's seems to have weak grounds due to the fact that the convict has never made an appeal for clemency.
Chief Minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal said that staying of Rajoana's hanging was the result of efforts made by his party, the BJP and the Punjab government. However, BJP has been toeing different line as it has made it clear that law should be allowed to take its own course.
Badal said staying of execution of Rajaoana was in the interest of ensuring peace, goodwill and harmony in the state.
However, Rajoana has termed Akalis as €cheaters€ and said: €I don't need any help from blue-turbaned Akali leaders, who have not done anything so far to secure justice for the Sikhs.€
For more News visit
Punjab Newsline
Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 08:30
By Naresh Kumar Sharma
CHANDIGARH: The staying of execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convict in Beant Singh assassination case on Wednesday seems to be bizarre and unprecedented owing to the fact Rajoana had not himself sought mercy from the President and in fact had been maintaining that he should be hanged.
The question is did the spineless UPA government at centre which has been already rocked by letter bomb pertaining to Army chief' s letter exposing country's lack of defence preparedness buckled under pressure of Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD-BJP combine government.
The UPA government at the Centre on Wednesday has decided to put on hold the March 31 hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was awarded the death sentence for the assassination of chief minister Beant Singh. The execution stands deferred till the President decides on the two mercy petitions filed on his "behalf". The petitions were moved by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee.
On Wednesday, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal met President Pratibha Patil and pleaded that the hanging should be kept on hold since the state was facing a law and order situation owing to several with strikes and demonstrations being held in various parts of the state. He also apprised President that tension was running high due to Rajoana execution scheduled on March 31.
The staying of execution is also not unprecedented but questionable as country's top office must uphold the law of the land rather than bypassing it. Interestingly, the
President's office has forwarded the mercy petitions to the home ministry to be processed and comments be sought from governor of Punjab.
Even though execution has been stayed by centre, mercy petitions moved on behalf of Rajoana's seems to have weak grounds due to the fact that the convict has never made an appeal for clemency.
Chief Minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal said that staying of Rajoana's hanging was the result of efforts made by his party, the BJP and the Punjab government. However, BJP has been toeing different line as it has made it clear that law should be allowed to take its own course.
Badal said staying of execution of Rajaoana was in the interest of ensuring peace, goodwill and harmony in the state.
However, Rajoana has termed Akalis as €cheaters€ and said: €I don't need any help from blue-turbaned Akali leaders, who have not done anything so far to secure justice for the Sikhs.€
For more News visit
Punjab Newsline
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