Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa today accused Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of shedding "crocodile tears" over rejection of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar's mercy petition and pretending to be a Sikh community well-wisher, to achieve narrow political gains.
SAD and BJP, the ruling partners in Punjab stand exposed on the issue of granting clemency to Bhullar by taking contrary stands, Bajwa said in a statement here.
BJP national secretary Luxmi Kanta Chawla and Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma are opposing Bhullar's clemency, he said adding, Badal should also explain BJP's view point of supporting Bhullar's death penalty to the Sikhs.
"On one hand he demanded clemency for Bhullar, on the other hand he had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court terming him a hardcore terrorist," Bajwa said.
Badal also did a U-turn on the issue of passing a resolution in an Assembly in 2011 seeking clemency for Bhullar on the dictates of the BJP, Bajwa alleged.
Demanding an open clarification from the Chief Minister on, why in 2009 Badal refused to accept a request for shifting of Bhullar to a jail in Punjab and refused to show any mercy, Bajwa accused Badal of practicing double standards.
