Azaad

Normalcy returned to Gurdaspur today with the district administration deciding to lift the curfew. There was a heavy rush at shops. Locals made way to their offices after a forced extended holiday. A meeting of the peace committee was held in the morning where representatives of various parties, barring the SAD, voiced their concerns. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Siben.C and the SK Kalia, SSP. The officers have been camping in the town for the past three days. Dera Baba Nanak MLA and Gurdaspur DCC chief Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa exhorted people to maintain peace at all costs. He rued the absence of local MLA Gurbachan Singh Babbehali and senior SAD leaders, including former Agriculture Minister Sucha Singh Langah, from the deliberations of the committee. Gurdaspur Member of Parliament Partap Singh Bajwa visited Chour Sidhwan village to express sympathies with the family of 18-year-old engineering student Jaspal Singh who was killed in police firing last Thursday. Dinanagar MLA Aruna Chowdhry and Fatehgarh Churian legislator Tript Rajinder Bajwa made fervent appeals for communal harmony. The curfew was clamped on the town following clashes between two communities. An 18-year-old youth, Jaspal Singh, was killed as the police opened fire to “disperse” the mob. The death resulted in the suspension of Gurdaspur Senior Superintendent of Police Varinder Pal Singh and Deputy Superintendent of Police Manpreet Singh while Deputy Commissioner Mohinder Singh Kainth was transferred.

The government today transferred Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Mohinder Singh Kainth and suspended SSP Varinder Pal Singh for negligence of duty due to which an indefinite curfew had to be imposed in the city. The action is the fallout of the death of 18-year-old engineering student Jaspal Singh in police firing on Thursday following which an indefinite curfew was clamped in the city. A case under section 302 of the IPC has also been registered against DSP Manpreet Singh who had led the police party which resorted to firing. Another youth Ranjit Singh, who was seriously injured in the firing, is getting treatment at the Civil Hospital, Amritsar. The action has come in the wake of sustained pressure put up by Akal Takht Jathedar Gurbachan Singh, Damdami Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma, former Akal Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode and other members of the Sikh clergy who had been camping at the deceased's native village Chour Sidhwan since yesterday. Gurbachan Singh led the negotiations with the state government on behalf of the deceased's family. He had threatened that he would resign as Akal Takht chief if no action was taken against the erring officials. The DC's transfer has come as a surprise to many as his role did not come under the scanner in the deliberations between the representatives of the Sikh bodies and the government. Sources reveal that the state government yielded to the pressure built up by members of the clergy. A fax was received in the office of the Deputy Commissioner, who was the main negotiator on behalf of the government, this evening which was brought to Jaspal Singh’s village by Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) Tejinder Pal Singh. The cremation of Jaspal Singh, which was postponed as negotiations between the Sikh leaders and the DC went on throughout the day, was held this evening after the impasse was broken when the government issued the orders. The decision to suspend the district police chief has led to resentment among junior officers who, preferring anonymity, claimed that "the SSP had no direct role as far as the imposition of curfew was concerned." "The law and order situation deteriorated due to the nefarious designs of some middle-rung politicians and the SSP has been blamed for it,” claimed a senior officer. Earlier, the curfew was relaxed for two hours from 6.30 am to 8.30 am to enable the locals to buy essential commodities, but a majority of the residents remained unaware about the respite as the district administration failed to timely inform the people about the relaxation.

It was a busy day today for staff at the Kapurthala Modern Jail, which saw scores of visitors pouring in from across the state. Each one of them wanted to meet the VVIP inmate, Bibi Jagir Kaur, sentenced to five years of imprisonment yesterday for plotting the forcible abortion and abduction of her daughter Harpreet Kaur. In an apparent bid to express solidarity with the former Akali minister, hundreds of SAD leaders, SGPC members and Begowal residents made a beeline at the visitors’ room of the jail. They touched Kaur’s feet and sought her blessings. Minister for Jail, Tourism and Culture Sarwan Singh Phillaur also chose this day to make an official trip to the jail. Kaur was composed as some visitors tried to console her. “Please, don’t worry about me. All of you remain in good spirits and pray for me. The Almighty is with me. Things will be normal again. I am going to file an appeal in the high court on Monday,” she told them. Later, interacting with the media, Kaur said: “My opponents are using all their might to spoil my career.” “Before anyone could point a finger at me, I resigned from my post. I am still an MLA and will continue to be an SGPC member,” she said. Kaur said she had gone through the newspapers this morning to see reports pertaining to her sentence. Bibi’s younger daughter Rajneet Kaur and son-in-law Yuvraj Singh were with her. Another convict in the case, Paramjit Singh Raipur, is also lodged in the same jail. Traffic chaos was witnessed as members of market committees, block samitis and others thronged the jail. Several vehicles were parked outside and many were allowed in.

An uneasy calm prevailed in the town today. The curfew, clamped yesterday following communal clashes, continued to be in force for the second day. The state government has formed a special investigating team (SIT) to look into the sequence of events leading to the curfew. The team comprises DIG (Border Range) Ram Singh, Tarn Taran SSP Manminder Singh and SP (Headquarters) Jaspal Singh. The cremation of 18-year-old Jaspal Singh, killed in the police firing yesterday, will be held at his native village Chour Sidhwan tomorrow. Jaspal Singh was a BTech (Electronics) student of the local Beant College of Engineering and Technology. Shocked students and staff of the college held a meeting this morning to express grief over his death. Principal Dyal Chand termed the killing as a “dastardly act”. Jaspal’s body was taken to his village amid tight security after a post-mortem was conducted by doctors of the Civil Hospital here. The situation in the city remained tense with paramilitary forces keeping a strict vigil to prevent any untoward incident following Intelligence reports that the situation could take a turn for the worse. Akal Takht Jathedar Gurbachan Singh, Damdami Taksal head Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma, former Jathedar of Akal Takht Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode and Dal Khalsa spokesman Kanwarpal Singh had to face the ire of nearly 2,500 villagers when they visited Jaspal’s village this morning. The angry residents blamed the clergy for the sorry state of affairs. The police accompanied the team till the village outskirts but no further. There were reports that the police could be targeted by the angry village residents. Dera Baba Nanak legislator and president of the Gurdaspur District Congress Committee Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to hold an all-party meeting to discus the situation in the town. He also asked the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh to Ranjit Singh who was injured in the violence yesterday. The latter is recuperating at the Civil Hospital, Amritsar. Gurdaspur Member of Parliament Partap Bajwa claimed that the law and order situation in the state was deteriorating.

The Supreme Court today put several questions to the government on the rejection of the mercy petition of Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, raising the hope of the convict sentenced to death for the 1993 assassination attempt on the then Youth Congress chief MS Bitta. A Bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and SJ Mukhopadhaya pointed out during the day-long hearing that the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), under which Bhullar had been convicted, was no longer a law. Parliament repealed TADA after finding it to be very harsh and subsequently, brought another law known as Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), but this too was struck off the statute book for the same reason, the Bench noted. Recalling the reformation of several dreaded dacoits after being sentenced to jail terms, the Bench said Phoolan Devi was one such person who went on to become a Member of Parliament. Pointing out the mental condition of Bhullar, who is undergoing treatment at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences at Shahdara near here, the Bench asked Additional Solicitor General Haren Raval whether the Home Ministry tried to find out his health status before sending its recommendations to the President. The Bench made the remarks after going through the ministry’s report to the President. The court also pointed out that the judiciary had chosen to award life sentence for varying periods even in rarest of rare cases, avoiding death sentence.

Punjab Chief Minister and patron of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Parkash Singh Badal today met President Pratibha Devisingh Patil and submitted a petition seeking clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana, against whom death warrants have been issued by a Chandigarh court. The Chief Minister wrote: “I approach Your Excellency on an issue of great sensitivity and immense public importance, requiring your immediate kind attention. You are well aware that Punjab and the country have come through a period of great social and political turmoil in which thousands of innocent lives were lost. With great efforts and with the cooperation of the people of Punjab, an atmosphere of peace and complete communal harmony has been achieved. But there is still a tragic residue which has to be handled by all of us with great care, sagacity and farsightedness. “A Chandigarh court has issued the death warrants for the execution of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana in the case of the assassination of the former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. The warrants of death in the case have been ordered to be executed on March 31. “This has set off a chain of events because of which the atmosphere in the state has become highly surcharged. Several organisations have given a call for a bandh in Punjab. Some of them have also announced a march to the Central Jail, Patiala, where Bhai Rajoana is lodged. Some internal and external forces are waiting to exploit this situation to disturb the hard-earned atmosphere of peace and communal harmony in the state and to destabilise the country by fomenting trouble in this sensitive border state. “In the light of all this, it has become imperative for all of us tasked with safeguarding the interests and the destiny of the country to prevent the situation from sliding in that tragic direction. This is all the more important considering Punjab’s strategic geographical location, sharing a long active international border with Pakistan and contiguous to Jammu and Kashmir, where forces hostile to the country have been active to destabilise conditions in the country. “I am here to seek your kind intervention to secure clemency for Bhai Rajoana. A petition filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is already pending with your office. There is a complete political unanimity in favour of clemency being granted to Bhai Rajoana. The Congress as well as the family of the late Beant Singh has also strongly pleaded for clemency in the case. “The whole nation looks up to Your Excellency, as custodian of peace, tranquility and stability of the country, to save the situation from taking a turn dangerous for the interests of the country at large “In the light of the above, I approach Your Excellency with a request that the clemency petition filed by the SGPC may be considered favourably and clemency be granted to Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana at the earliest in the larger interest of peace, communal harmony and in the national interest.”

Appealing for peace and brotherhood, Balwant Singh Rajoana today handed over another letter to his foster sister who met him inside the Central Jail, Patiala. In the letter, Rajoana questioned the decision of honouring Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal with the Fakhr-e-Quam title. In a fresh appeal to Punjabis, Rajoana, stressed on the need for peace and communal harmony. In a separate letter to the Additional Jail Superintendent Rajan Kapur, Rajoana appealed for peaceful protests in the state. Rajoana refused to accept mercy from Delhi and said that when innocent Sikhs were murdered in Delhi, the youths were left with no option but to resort to taking to the gun. “Later the youths were called terrorists and the ones who compromised with Delhi were titled Fakhr-e-Quam ”, he wrote in the letter. Maintaining that he needed no mercy, either from the President or the Prime Minister, Rajoana said: “I appeal to the youth not to take to armed rebellion after my death and to remain free from the clutches of politicians”. In a letter to the Patiala Central Jail authorities, Rajoana said:. “All organisations should ensure that no community or religion is hurt and all protests are held peacefully”.

(Left) Protesters block railway tracks at the Patiala railway station; (Right-above) security personnel at Chaura Bazaar in Ludhiana; and (Right-below) a jawan of paramilitary forces quenches his thirst. Photos: Rajesh Sachar, Vishal Kumar and Himanshu Mahajan Chandigarh, March 28 Apart from a police lathi charge on protesters in Patiala, Jalandhar and Phagwara, the statewide bandh passed off peacefully today. Students stranded at the Patiala bus stand Tension gripped Patiala after five persons, including a police commando, were injured in a clash when some youths brandished swords and raised pro-Khalistan slogans. Sikh radicals had declared a Punjab bandh today to demand clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana convicted in the Beant Singh assassination case. The clash occurred in Arya Samaj area at 11.30 am when some youths took out a procession and raised pro-Khalistan slogans. Area residents objected to such sloganeering and a clash ensued which soon turned bloody with a mob of over 100 youths thronging the locality, attacking policemen on duty and damaging two cars and a two-wheeler. Closed shutter of a bank in Amritsar For some 10 minutes, area residents threw stones from inside their houses while some youths on the streets were thrashed by a mob. The policemen on duty, most of them young recruits, ran for cover instead of taming the mob. The youths brandishing swords and sticks challenged the cops. Patiala SSP Gurpreet Singh Gill, who reached the site, suffered minor injuries when pushed around by the mob. The police then resorted to a mild lathi charge. Additional force was summoned and the situation was brought under control. Commando (constable) Gurcharan Singh was injured and admitted to a private hospital. Patiala DC Vikas Garg, who reached Arya Samaj area, faced a barrage of complaints and he left within minutes. Patiala IG Paramjit Singh Gill and DIG LK Yadav also visited the spot. Later in the evening, Garg said that the administration would pay the medical bills of the injured. Patiala SSP Gill said they are trying to identify the culprits through video-recording and an FIR would be registered thereafter. Most business establishments in the city remained shut. Some trains were stopped. A group of radicals blocked the national highway near Rajpura for a few hours, causing inconvenience to commuters. A report from Sangrur said members of Sikh organisations clashed with shopkeepers in Lehra. Two persons received minor injuries. Trains held up In Jalandhar, the police resorted to a mild cane charge after activists of various Sikh outsfits assaulted head constable Harpreet Singh at a railway crossing. He received injuries on his hand. The armed activists also tried to damage the statue of Beant Singh at BMC Chowk. Brandishing swords, the activists smashed the windows of a bank at Bhagat Singh Chowk and forced Central Government offices to shut. More than 1,500 protesters gheraoed the Amritsar-bound Shan-e-Punjab train and the Jammu Tawi Express for almost 45 minutes. Holding saffron flags, the activists, including women, took to the roads in open jeeps, SUVs, motorcycles and tractors. They forced the lawyers to close their chambers. Some shops were ransacked in Attari Bazaar as also two banks at Phagwara Gate and the Mandi road. Phagwara tense Tension prevailed in this industrial town after a clash between Sikh radicals and activists of Hindu organisations near the old sabzi mandi on the Phagwara-Banga road this evening. Over 12 persons- three cops, two scribes, four Sikh youths and three Hindu activists- sustained injuries. A car was damaged by some unidentified persons even as its occupants fled to save their lives. The police resorted to a mild lathi charge to disburse the mob. The police also opened fire into the air. In Amritsar, the bandh crippled life with almost all commercial establishments, schools and colleges remaining shut. Activists of various outfits carrying sticks and swords ensured that the bandh was successful. The entire city wore a deserted look with government and private buses and auto-rickshaws off the road. The residents had a tough time getting LPG, petrol and diesel as all the filing stations and gas agencies remained shut. The police and paramilitary forces remained on their toes throughout the day. Government offices and hospitals also wore a deserted look. Dal Khalsa and Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) activists held separate marches in support of Rajoana. Roadblocks In Bathinda, the daylong bandh crippled life and disrupted public transport services in the district. Sikh leaders held a protest march in the city. A group led by Rajinder Sidhu, president of Khalsa Diwan Gurdwara Singh Sabha blocked GT Road outside Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Colony.Police commandos, riot vehicles and senior police functionaries were deployed there in strength. The protesters, however, made way for the ambulances and the ailing. They squatted on the road chanting “Satnam Waheguru. There was a similar blockade near the Goniana mandi. The protesters performed ardas at Gurdwara Qila Mubarak. In Gurdaspur, various Sikh organisations forced a complete bandh in the town. State-owned and private buses remained off road. Banks too remained closed. A group of Sikh radicals tried to block the Gurdaspur-Pathankot road. However, SSP Varinder Pal Singh intervened and the protesters agreed to lift the blockade after brief negotiations.

Punjab was in the grip of a saffron wave in support of former Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassin Balwant Singh Rajoana with a near-complete bandh having been organised to demand clemency for Rajoana on a call given by the Akal Takht and various panthic organisations. Patiala witnessed tension and even violence after the district police failed to prevent youth, raising pro-Khalistan slogans, from moving into the Hindu-dominated inner city around the Arya Samaj chowk. This resulted in injuries to four persons besides a police commando. In Jalandhar, members of a radical outfit assaulted a head constable with a sword. They also tried to damage a statue of Beant Singh at the BMC chowk but thwarted from doing so. State Home Secretary D S Bains claimed that the bandh passed off peacefully except for sporadic incidents of violence. Bains said the police had to resort to mild lathi charge at Jalandhar and also in Deena Nagar. Trains were stopped at eight places, including Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Patiala and Tarn Taran districts. Sources said though the bandh was, by and large, peaceful, fear psychosis had been created at some places with the impression gaining ground that the administration, particularly the police, was giving kids glove treatment to radical groups engaged in the protest. At most places, police personnel remained mute spectators and were even reluctant to intervene when shopkeepers were forced to down shutters. Meanwhile, Congress legislators accused the government of supporting the bandh. Banga legislator Tarlochan Singh Soondh said the people’s attention was being diverted from real issues. Patiala legislator Brahm Mohindra said a legal matter was being turned into a religious one. Congress legislator Sukhpal Khaira said the government was empowered to commute any sentence, including the death penalty under Section 433 of the CrPC and there was no need to approach the Centre on this account. SAD spokesman Dr Daljit Singh Cheema derided Khaira’s statement as gimmickry, saying Khaira should realise that it was for the Centre to act in the matter as the incident pertained to the union territory that is controlled by it. He refuted allegations that the government had supported the bandh, saying it was spontaneous in nature. The BJP broke its silence on the issue, with State BJP President Ashwani Sharma saying peace should be maintained at all costs. Senior leader Balramjidas Tandon was more vocal.

At least a dozen Sikh protesters were detained today after they tried to take out a procession against the hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who is on death row in the assassination case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. Sikhs hold protest against the hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, assassin of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, in Srinagar on Wednesday. Photo: Amin War Members of the Sikh community in the Valley gathered at a local gurdwara in the Lal Chowk area to protest the proposed hanging of Rajoana, which is scheduled for Saturday. Protesters raised slogans against the Centre, alleging that those, who had “committed crimes” against the Sikh community in 1984 after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi were now ruling the country. “Those who committed crimes against the Sikhs in 1984 are roaming freely and ruling the country. While justice still eludes the victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana is being expedited,” a protester said. As soon as they tried to take out a procession, police personnel on duty detained at least a dozen Sikh protesters. Meanwhile, the police is keeping a close watch on the Sikh dominated areas to prevent such protests. The All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee, which is the main Sikh body in the Kashmir valley, has already demanded amnesty for Rajoana. JAMMU: Various Sikh organisations today took to the streets in the Jammu region, demanding clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana who has been awarded death penalty in the assassination case of former Chief Minister of Punjab Beant Singh. The protesters blocked the Jammu-Pathankot national highway at Rajbagh for over an hour. They urged the President to grant clemency to Rajoana who was awaiting execution on March 31 as per the orders of the Chandigarh Sessions Court. There were also reports of protests from various other places in the region.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday stayed the hanging of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassin, Balwant Singh Rajoana. The convict was supposed to be hanged on March 31 at a jail in Patiala. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal announced the decision of the MHA by showing the letter they received from the ministry to the media. Earlier, the Chief Minister called on President Pratibha Patil and sought clemency for Rajoana. The MHA acted on a plea filed by the Shiromani Gurdawara Parbandhak Committee and has informed the Principal Secretary, Home (Punjab) about its decision. The SGPC cited Article 72 of the Constitution to seek clemency for Rajoana. The President has powers to grant pardons, to suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases under this Article. Joint Secretary (MHA), JL Chugh, in his orders passed tonight, said: “As per the procedure regarding petitions for mercy in death sentence cases, the execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana is stayed till the order of the Supreme Court in the matter of the criminal appeal no 2277/2022 and 1464/2011 or till the order of the President on the said mercy petition, whichever is later”. Rajoana’s case is unique as he has not sought clemency for his act. The special CBI court had awarded death sentence to Rajoana and Jagtar Singh Hawara in the Beant Singh case on August 1, 2007. Three others - Lakhwinder Singh, Gurmit Singh and Shamsher Singh - were sentenced to life imprisonment for hatching the conspiracy to kill Beant Singh. A Chandigarh court had issued death warrants to Patiala jail authorities earlier this month, asking them to hang Rajoana on March 31. Rajoana did not appeal against the judgment. The death penalty of Hawara, who filed an appeal against it, was commuted to life term. Sukhbir Singh Badal told reporters that clemency for Rajoana was not a political issue. The residents of Punjab want him to be pardoned, said the Deputy CM of Punjab. Rajoana village celebrates As soon as news of the stay on Rajoana’s hanging reached his native village Rajoana Kalan, a wave of joy swept through the village. The villagers were seen bursting crackers and congratulating one another. Village sarpanch said, “We are very happy about the stay. We thank all those who supported the cause”. Decision in interest of peace: Gurkirat Chandigarh: Gurkirat Singh Kotli, Khanna MLA and grandson of the late Beant Singh, said the stay on the execution would ensure long-term peace in Punjab. “The hard-earned peace achieved after several sacrifices, including that by martyr Beant Singh, cannot be jeopardised and any step in the interest of peace and harmony will always be supported by us”, he said. Capt lauds decision Chandigarh: Appreciating the stand taken by the UPA Government, PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh said the decision will go a long way in maintaining the hard-earned peace in Punjab. Appealing to the people of the state to maintain peace at all costs, he pointed out that the Congress-led UPA Government respected the sentiments of the people of Punjab. Khalsa March put off Amritsar: Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh has stated that the Panthic outfits have postponed the Khalsa March which was scheduled to start on Thursday in view of the stay on Rajoana’s hanging. A group of Panthic outfits had given a call to start a march from all three Takhts in Punjab to Patiala on March 29. Meanwhile, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has hailed the Centre’s move to stay the execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana.

BBC News covers Birmingham Protest

A groundswell of support in favour of clemency for Rajoana is evident in most parts of the Doaba region where people participated in marches organised by various Sikh organisations. Responding to an appeal by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, a large number of people put up saffron flags atop their houses. Protest marches were taken out in Jalandhar, Phagwara and Hoshiarpur. Most roads in Muktsar are dotted with saffron flags as a mark of protest against the impending hanging of Rajoana. Flags with a 'khanda' printed on these have been hoisted atop every prominent building here. A few Sikh organisations today carried out a protest march in the city while supporting the Punjab bandh call for tomorrow. A sea of saffron has flooded this nondescript village of Ludhiana district. Residents of the native hamlet of Balwant Singh Rajoana have hoisted saffron flags on their immovable prperty and vehicles as an expression of solidarity with Rajoana's family. Flag marches by security forces and appeals by the administration failed to deter them to support Rajoana’s ideology. Irrespective of their political allegiance, the residents are united when it came to the question of Rajoana's life. "We tried to persuade Balwant to make an appeal, but he refused. Now, the government and Sikh organisations should find out some constitutional way to save his life," said Jagdeep Singh, the village sarpanch. "Nobody knows what is in store for us. We will not deviate from the path adopted by our uncle who has preferred death to begging," said Ravneet Singh, Rajoana's nephew.

Balwant Singh Rajoana today accepted the title of "Zinda Shaheed" bestowed on him by the Akal Takht. He had earlier refused to accept the title claiming that such titles would only serve the purpose of some vested interests and that anyone who was alive could not be a martyr. In a letter handed over to his sister Kamaldeep Kaur today, Rajoana said he had never turned down the title but had not accepted it citing Sikh tenets. "The five high priests of the Akal Takht have refused to withdraw the title and therefore, I humbly accept it with folded hands," reads the letter. But, sources say Rajoana is still adamant against the clemency plea and he does not want anyone to pursue the matter with the President. In his letter, Rajoana has said he accepted the title of "Zinda Shaheed" as it will make him more determined towards his goals and mission. The letter highlights the drugs menace in the state and has a message by Rojoana for the youth of Punjab. "We should follow our culture and religion and keep away from westernisation," reads the letter.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is likely to meet President Pratibha Patil tomorrow to make a personal appeal for clemency to Balwant Singh Rajoana. Sources in the Chief Minister’s Office said an appointment had been sought and had also been granted in principle. They said the CM is expected to urge putting off the directive to hang Rajoana on March 31, as an appeal was being filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this connection. Meanwhile, Badal left for Delhi immediately after rounding up the debate on the Governor’s address in the Vidhan today afternoon. He was back in Chandigarh late in the evening. His office said the Chief Minister had gone to Delhi to consult legal experts. Delegation submits clemency petition NEW DELHI: Even as Punjab-based political parties are vying with each other to save Rajoana from the gallows, a Sikh delegation today submitted a ‘mercy petition’ to President Partibha Patil to commute his death penalty to life sentence. Among the signatories of the petition were Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) chief Parmjit Singh Sarna, Former Additional Solicitor General of India, KTS Tulsi and president of the International Punjabi Civil Society, RS Jaura. Sarna said they met the first secretary to the President, Christy Fernandez, at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. Sarna said they told the official that the co-accused in the case, who had more serious charges against them, were given life imprisonment, but Rajoana was awarded death sentence.

The Chandigarh court’s move to send back Rajoana’s death warrants to Patiala jail authorities has created concern in the Sikh circles. Now, all eyes are on the developments that will unfold tomorrow in the aftermath of Sikh leaders meeting President Pratibha Patil in this regard. There is a possibility that the Sikh clergy may hold yet another meeting on Thursday to discuss the issue if there is no “positive development” tomorrow. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said the court should have taken into account the entire situation before deciding to maintain the judgment. “Will it be right to hang an accused while the appeal of other co-accused in the case is pending before the SC,” he asked. The Jathedar said the peace had been restored in Punjab after a long period of turmoil and it should be maintained at all costs. “This is possible only when the prevailing situation is averted.” He urged the people to maintain peace and harmony during the bandh tomorrow. Meanwhile, DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna today met the first secretary to the President, Christy Fernandez, to save Balwant Singh Rajoana from the gallows at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. Sarna said they told the official that the co-accused in the case, who had more serious charges against them, were given life imprisonment, but Rajoana was awarded death sentence. “We also aired our apprehensions about the move leading to the unrest in Punjab where peace has been prevailing for around one and a half decade now.” He also raised a question mark over the “seriousness of the SAD and the SGPC” over the issue. On the other hand, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said the clemency petition moved by them had been submitted at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. TIGHT SECURITY arrangements are in place to deal with any untoward incident during the bandh on Wednesday. COMPANIES OF paramilitary forces & PAP and UP cops (in pic) have been deployed in the holy city of Amritsar. IN OTHER districts of Majha belt too, PAP companies have been deployed to maintain law and order.

The Punjab Jails Department is firm on following the government directive and not let Balwant Singh Rajoana hang under any circumstances. The Superintendent of the Patiala Central Jail today informed the Chandigarh Court that he would approach the superior court as he was "unable and disabled to execute the warrant of death". Citing a 1982 case in the Supreme Court in Harbans Singh versus state of UP, the jail refused to receive the death warrant. After the Chandigarh Court rejected their plea, the Jails Department is now preparing to move the High Court against the hanging orders. Highly placed sources confirmed that whatever be the outcome of the appeal in the higher court, the Jails Department would not go ahead with the proposed hanging scheduled for March 31. "The plea may go to the Supreme Court while the government will approach the President of India to ensure that the hanging is either postponed or converted to life term," they stated. Insiders in the Patiala Central Jail revealed that the Jails Department's stand could be known from the fact that it had officially not tried to either locate a hangman or got the execution area repaired. "It has not been used for over two decades and if the department wants to hang anyone, the gallows would need a minimum of three days to be set in order," they said. Senior officials confirmed that preparing the gallows was an expert job and only a hangman knew how to prepare these in the right manner. "We were busy in preparing for court replies and drafting pleas on part of the Jails Department and therefore, limited efforts were made to arrange a hangman who could be kept on standby in case the orders are to be executed as the last resort," they said. PUNJAB SAW LAST HANGING IN 1989 The last execution in Punjab was carried out at the Patiala Central Jail on June 16, 1989, when two brothers Gurcharan Singh and Pritam Singh from Sangrur were hanged to death in a murder case. The hanging was performed by Kaloo, who was specially summoned from the Tihar Jail as Punjab did not have a hangman on its rolls. The last hangman, Faqeera, who was deputed in Patiala, died on duty some three decades ago and the post is vacant since then. As per the Punjab Jails Manual, 1896, in the absence of an official hangman, the jail authorities could get a hangman from another jail in the country or the deputy jail superintendent of the jail where the convict is to be hanged has to perform the job of a hangman. KHALRA MISSION’S PLEA TURNED DOWN CHANDIGARH: Attempts by the Khalra Mission Committee to keep Rajoana's execution stayed failed to find favour with the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Dismissing the petition on Tuesady, the Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice AN Jindal asserted: "Once the sentence has been awarded by a competent court, no other court, except the court in appeal or revision, can modify the order of sentence.

For a second time today, the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal returned the death warrants to hang former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassin Balwant Singh Rajoana and directed Patiala Central Jail authorities to hang the convict on March 31. Rejecting the petition filed by Patiala jail superintendent LS Jakhar seeking deferment of the hanging, the judge issued a contempt notice to Jakhar for returning the execution warrants twice to the court. The superintendent, however, refused to receive the death warrants from the court, saying he would file an appeal before the High Court tomorrow in an attempt to explore all legal possibilities. Jakhar told the court that the jail authorities were “unable to execute the death warrants.” While returning the death warrants, the court stated: “The superintendent of Patiala jail has not once, but on two occasions, refused to execute the warrants of death sentence by way of written communication — March 19 and March 24. These intend to interfere with the due course of judicial proceedings, obstruct the administration of justice and also lower the authority of the court. As such, let a show-cause notice be issued to the superintendent to appear in person in court on April 16 and explain why proceedings under the Contempt of Court Act should not be initiated against him.” “The death warrants, along with relevant documents, are ordered to be returned to the superintendent of Patiala jail for execution,” the order added. On Monday, the superintendent had returned the warrants and filed a petition in court that the death warrant could not be executed as appeals of co-accused in the case are pending before the Supreme Court. It was also contended that since Rajoana was convicted by a Chandigarh court, the Punjab Government had no jurisdiction to carry out his execution. While dismissing both these arguments, the judge stated that since the court has already notified where the condemned prisoner was confined, there was no question of addressing the warrants for execution of sentence of death to the Superintendent, Model Jail, Burail in Chandigarh. “Since the Punjab Government had agreed to the arrangement for transfer of condemned prisoners of UT to Central Jail, Patiala, it does not behove the state of Punjab to refuse the execution warrants,” added the order. While quoting an agreement with the Punjab jail authorities, the court said that vide a letter dated August 16, 1982 even lifers of district jail, Chandigarh, were agreed to be transferred to five Central Jails in Punjab. “Can the state of Punjab refuse to execute the sentence of life imprisonment awarded to those prisoners on the grounds that it had no territorial jurisdiction?” the court asked. The court said Rajoana was transferred on a mutual basis from Burail Jail to Patiala and the jail authorities were thus bound by law to execute the orders of the court. Dismissing the argument that the appeal of the co-accused is pending before the apex court, the judge stated, “The facts in this case are on a different footing altogether. Neither the additional advocate general nor the counsels appearing for the CBI can vouch whether Jagtar Singh Hawara has filed an appeal against the order dated October 12, 2010 of the High Court affirming his conviction and commuting the death sentence. The only appeal in respect of Hawara, a co-accused who has been awarded sentence of death, is one filed by CBI against the verdict of the high court commuting the death sentence. “Rajoana has not filed any appeal and as per his application forwarded to this court, he does not intend to file an appeal. If any mercy petition has been filed before the President, it is not by condemned prisoner. The question of maintainability and locus standi is another issue,” added the order. The court also cited the dismissal of the PIL by Lawyers for Human Rights International last week by the high court. The court of then ADJ Ravi Kumar Sondhi had awarded death sentence to both Rajoana and Hawara on August 1, 2007 in the Beant case. Rajoana did not appeal against the judgment. The death penalty of Hawara, who filed an appeal against it, was commuted to life term.

The Sikh clergy has refused to take back the title of ‘Zinda Shaheed’ (living martyr) conferred upon Balwant Singh Rajoana. Addressing mediapersons after a meeting of the five Sikh high priests, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said, “We have received Rajoana’s letter, declining the title, and we discussed it in the meeting. However, the title is not being withdrawn as it has been conferred upon him in view of the sentiments of the Sikh community. Whether Rajoana accepts this title or not, it is up to him.” Quoting an instance of Nawab Kapoor Singh, he said the Sikh Panth had bestowed the title of “Nawab” on him. Though he didn’t accept the title, he was addressed as Nawab Kapoor Singh by the community. Regarding the case, the Jathedar said the execution of the death penalty seems to have been put off at present with the SGPC filing a clemency petition before the President and the Punjab Government refusing to hang him. On the Akal Takht’s call for “setting aside professional commitments” on March 28, he said the call remained as it is, but if the death penalty was suspended then the Sikh outfits should also suspend the programme.

Two days before the Punjab bandh call given by various Panthic organisations, sale of Kesri (saffron) flags with a "khanda" printed on it has increased in the city. The bandh call for March 28 has been given in protest against hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, one of the accused in ex- CM Beant Singh's assassination case. Rajoana as well as several Panthic organisations had appealed to Sikhs to install Kesri flags on top of their houses on March 28 and March 31.These flags could be purchased from several shops located in Field Ganj, Model Town, Dugri and even other parts of the city. They are priced between Rs 10 and Rs 20 per piece, depending on the size and quality. Shopkeepers said nearly 30,000 flags were sold in the city today alone. Prabhjot Singh Gora, owner of Khalsa Gift and Music House near Gurudwara Kalgidhar in Field Ganj, said that one day he sold around 15,000 such flags. Another shopkeeper, Avtar Singh, said people from villages have been giving him bulk orders about these flags. "Most of these flags are made in Amritsar and keeping in mind their demand, we have already maintained high stocks." Gurdeep Singh of SAD (Delhi) said that he was distributing these flags to all his friends so that they could install them on top of their houses.

In less than a week after the debate over the capital punishment to former CM Beant Singh's assassin started, the focus of Punjab politics has shifted from development to Panthic agenda. Convicted way back in 2007, Balwant Singh Rajoana was almost forgotten until March 10 when a local CBI Special Court issued warrant for hanging him till death. This too did not have much impact, except his sister Kamaldeep Kaur holding a press conference to highlight the issue. In the meantime, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal along with his Cabinet was sworn in on March 12. Again for a week till March 19, the issue was buried under the euphoria of the formation of a new government. After the warrants were issue for a second time on March 19, it changed everything for the state. The Akal Takht, the highest spiritual and temporal body of the Sikhs, moved into action. Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh went to meet Rajoana in Patiala jail two days after the second warrant was issued, hoping to persuade him for a clemency petition. The timing of the warrants has raised several questions. But what has transpired this week is even more intriguing. The theory doing the rounds in political circles is that Badal's detractors tried their hand at fermenting trouble for the newly formed SAD-BJP government. The move would have served two purposes: hamper development (the mantra of SAD success in the polls) and strain the relations between the SAD and BJP as both the parties have divergent stands on the issue. However, two parties emerged stronger in the episode: the Beant Singh family, which was on the radar of the hardliners, managed to placate the radicals by saying they had no issues with clemency and Badal once again managed to show his political acumen by neutralising his detractors and putting the Congress on the defensive, forcing PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh to issue a statement supporting clemency. It is apparent that till the second warrant was issued on March 19, the government could not visualise its implications or was working on a plan. The Akal Takht Jathedar called a meeting to discuss the issue on March 23. The Jathedar, apparently under pressure from radical elements, declared Dilawar Singh, the "human bomb" who killed Beant Singh, as a 'martyr' and Rajoana a 'living martyr'. He even issued an edict to the SGPC, the CM and the SAD president to seek clemency for Rajoana. It is at this point that the SAD think-tank launched its counteroffensive. The SAD core committee directed the SGPC to petition for clemency to the President, something that forced the Congress also to issue a statement supporting the clemency move. But, before the SAD core committee could ask the CM to make a statement on the floor of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today, Badal had taken BJP leaders like LK Advani and Arun Jaitley into confidence. Therefore, there was not much uproar in House today when the CM expressed his inability in executing Rajoana. Though the SAD has managed to neutralise the hardliners, one thing is clear that the Panthic agenda is still a sensitive issue in Punjab, which can be easily exploited.

Even as Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today stated in the assembly that he would meet President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana, the latter has asked him not to do so as “he wants to get hanged as per the court orders”. He said he did not want anyone to beg for clemency on his behalf. In a letter to the Akal Takht, Rajoana has clarified that there was no need to seek clemency for him. “I have fought for my rights all through my life. I do not want to give away my principles for anyone,” says Rajoana in a letter handed over to his sister Kamaldeep Kaur, following their meeting at the Patiala Central Jail today. Criticising politicians, especially the Akalis, Rajoana has said he neither trusts them (Akalis) nor believes them as they have failed to get justice from New Delhi. “These leaders were mum till date and suddenly they are speaking for my clemency. All know how they have made money and what their reality is,” reads the letter. “…the Akalis should give away blue turbans and instead don khaki turbans for failing to get justice from New Delhi time and again”. Rajoana also refused to accept any sympathy from the BJP, Capt Amarinder Singh or from late CM Beant Singh’s family members. “Asking for mercy from them is not even in my distant dreams,” reads the letter. Earlier today, Badal said in the assembly that the state government was taking all possible legal and constitutional measures to secure clemency for Rajoana. He said the government had received a copy of the mercy appeal sent by the SGPC to the President. The Case Files July 31, 2007: A special court awards death sentence to Balwant Rajoana, Jagtar Hawara March 13, 2012: The court of Additional District and Sessions in Chandigarh issues execution warrants of Rajoana’s hanging; are sent to Patiala jail where he is lodged March 16: The orders are returned by Patiala jail stating inability on the part of the Jails Department to hang Rajoana March 20: The court re-sends the warrants to Patiala jail to hang Rajoana on March 31 March 24: The warrants are again returned by the jail authorities to the court in Chandigarh DSGMC also to file clemency plea AMRITSAR: After the SGPC, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is also gearing up to file a clemency petition for Balwant Singh Rajoana before President Pratibha Patil tomorrow. DSGMC chief PS Sarna said, "We have prepared the clemency petition and will submit it to the President tomorrow.” About the basis of the plea, he said they had raised four points in the petition. First, the petitions of the co-accused in the case were pending with the SC, while one of them had got his death sentence commuted to life term. Second, the consequences that may emerge out of Rajoana hanging should also be kept in mind. Third, the SC has termed death penalty fit only in rarest of rare cases, which does not apply here. Finally, the capital punishment is being done away with in various countries and it should be done here as well.

With the Patiala jail authorities returning the death warrants for Balwant Singh Rajoana’s hanging back to the Chandigah court for the second time today, the Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal reserved the final orders deciding the execution for tomorrow. Heated arguments were witnessed in the court when the Patiala jail superintendent filed a petition strongly challenging the execution warrants. The CBI opposed the plea saying that the jail superintendent has no locus standi and is not a competent authority to challenge the death sentence. The CBI also said that the non-compliance of orders amounted to the contempt of court. Patiala jail superintendent LS Jakhar submitted before the court that the death warrant could not be executed as the matter of other convict, Lakhwinder Singh, in the former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh assassination case, was still pending before the Supreme Court. “The Supreme Court of India has, in several judgments, extended the benefit of acquittal or lesser sentence to the other co-accused although they had not filed an appeal. It is necessary to await the outcome of the matter in the Apex Court before executing the death warrant of Balwant Singh Rajoana,” said Additional Advocate General Anupinder Singh Grewal. “If some error/omission is committed in such a case, then it would be impossible to rectify the same because no one could give back life to a person,” added the counsel. Jakhar had also raised the issue that Punjab had no territorial jurisdiction in the matter of hanging Rajoana. CBI counsels RK Handa and Rajan Malhotra contended before the court that Jakhar had no locus standi to challenge the execution warrants issued by the court. “It is surprising that the jail authorities are shielding a convict. They are presenting facts in a distorted manner,” said CBI counsel Rajan Malhotra.

The Punjab Government will not hang Balwant Singh Rajoana, a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) militant, condemned to death on charges of assassinating former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. Making a statement on the floor of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal cited legal infirmities, constitutional inconsistencies and jurisdictional issues that forbid the government from taking action in the matter. Badal said his government would support the SGPC petition seeking conversion of Rajoana’s death sentence to a life term. Reading out a written statement as soon as the House assembled for a debate on the Governor’s address, the chief minister said that he would meet the President and the Prime Minister to seek their intervention to save Rajoana from the gallows. The Chief Minister said there were legal infirmities and the order was against the spirit of the Indian Constitution. Pointing out lacunas in the direction to hang Rajoana, he said that the case pertaining to the assassination of former chief minister Beant Singh was still pending before the Supreme Court. “What if the Supreme Court has a bearing on Rajoana too, no one can return life after it is taken away”. Badal stated that the case pertained to an incident that took place in Chandigarh. The proceedings went on there. Rajoana has been lodged in Patiala jail. Therefore, the Superintendent of Jail, Patiala, has no jurisdiction to hang Rajoana. Referring to other cases including that of co-accused in the same case Lakhwinder Singh Lakha, whose appeal is pending in the apex court, he said the judgement in those cases can have important ramifications in Rajoana case too. He said the Patiala Jail Superintendent had appeared before the court in Chandigarh and expressed his inability of execute the order directing him to hang Rajoana. (The court has reserved its judgement on the issue for Tuesday). In view of the charged atmosphere in the state he said, he thought it proper to lay facts before the House. He said the Jail Superintendent could not go ahead with the hanging with closed eyes. After taking the rules and legal issues into consideration, he wrote to the Special CBI Court judge in Chandigarh expressing his inability to carry out the order. Beant Singh’s family has also said it had no objection if Rajoana’s sentence was commuted. “Even Congress President Captain Amarinder Singh had issued a statement in favour of clemency for Rajoana. The SGPC has also petitioned the President”, he said adding even the Advocate General has advised that there should be no action till a final decision of the Supreme court. He assured the House that the communal harmony and peace would be maintained at all cost. He appealed to all Punjabis to maintain peace in the state. “This is a sensitive issue that can affect future of generations to come. We do not want to leave a legacy and atmosphere that is anything but peace. I appeal to all to maintain peace and not let the issue be exploited to disturb peace and harmony”. The SGPC sent a petition to the president of India through the Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil yesterday after an emergency meeting of the SAD’s core committee asked the SGPC to immediately file a clemency appeal for Rajoana before the president.

The Punjab Government has refused to hang Bhai Sahib in Punjab as it does not want the trouble on its doorstep. It has said it does not have the judiciary power to hold the hanging. In the message relayed back to the Court and Chandigarh adminisration, the Punjab Government has asked them to have the hanging in Chandigarh which os outside Punjab!! Also this may result in nothing but a delay of the hanging whilst Bhai Balwant Singh ji Rajoana continues to be imprisoned!! This breaking news is good news but not the end all...The Battle to save Bhai Sahib Continues...Please do not let the momentum break!! Stay United continue to contact your local MP's and MEP's to raise awareness of the Indian Human Rights abuses!!