Rajoana's sentence will Sikh community's wounds, says sister

The sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted for the 1995 assassination of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, Tuesday said the Centre's decision to commute his death sentence will heal wounds in the Sikh community.

The family is happy with the Centre's decision. My brother has been in jail for the last 24 years and it is a long time, Kamaldeep Kaur told PTI on Tuesday.

In a move just weeks ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the Centre decided to commute Rajoana's death sentence to life imprisonment and also release a group of Sikh prisoners.

Rajoana was convicted for his involvement in an explosion outside the Punjab Civil Secretariat that killed Beant Singh and 16 others.

 

We are thankful to the Centre for this decision. It will heal the wounds of the Sikh community, Rajoana's sister said.

We also thank the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for their efforts, she added.

Congress MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotli, who is a grandson of the slain politician, told PTI on Tuesday that the family will move the Supreme Court challenging the Centre's decision.

Another grandson, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, has also strongly criticised the decision to commute the death sentence.

Questioned on Bittu's stand, Kamaldeep Kaur said, There should not be any opposition to this decision. My brother has already been in jail for a long time.

She plans to meet 52-year-old Rajoana in Patiala jail on Saturday.

On Monday, Congress MP Bittu had questioned the Union government's move.

"Who are they to commute the death sentence to life term when the Supreme Court has given capital punishment," Bittu said.

"He is a dreaded terrorist and should not be spared at any cost," he added.

Bittu said the BJP indulged in petty politics to woo Sikh voters despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing on a global platform to fight terrorism.

"My family suffered a huge loss with the killing of my grandfather but we are prepared for another battle and would not let the BJP push Punjab into the days of terrorism," Bittu said.

Punjab Chief Minister has said the state government had no role in the Centre's decision. But he also said he is personally against the death penalty.