Centre delaying decision: SGPC
AMRITSAR: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur on Tuesday accused the Centre of deliberately delaying the mercy plea of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh’s assassination case. She added that the Centre has not acted despite the Supreme Court directing it to do so.
Rajoana’s sister Kamaldeep Kaur had visited the SGPC headquarters to meet the president; she requested the SGPC chief to take up the issue, at which the chief said the gurdwara management body would write to the Union home minister in this regard.
Jagir Kaur reminds govt of SC directions
“The government is pursuing a policy of evasion in this matter, despite the apex court’s clear instructions. Rajoana’s name was among the eight prisoners to whom the Indian government had announced a relaxation in imprisonment on Guru
Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary. Under this decision, Rajoana’s sentence was commuted to life. The government has not implemented its own decision,” the SGPC chief added.
“On January 25, 2021, the SC issued orders to the government to take a decision within two weeks. On its appeal, another six weeks were granted to the government, effectively mandating a decision by March 26, 2021. To date, no decision has been taken,” she added.
SGPC members Gurcharan Singh Grewal, Gurbakhsh Singh Khalsa and others were present, as the Bibi Jagir Kaur met Rajoana’s sister.