Amarinder Differs With Jakhar - Endorses Clemency For Rajoana

[Azaad]

Congress seems to be a house divided over the issue concerning Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana. While CLP leader Sunil Jakhar yesterday maintained that law would take its own course and that the Congress would not be a party to any resolution supporting clemency for Rajoana PCC President Capt Amarinder Singh today endorsed the stand taken by the family of former CM Beant Singh that the death sentence of Rajoana be commuted to life imprisonment.

In a statement issued today, Capt Amarinder Singh said the Congress party endorses this view that the death sentence should be commuted to life imprisonment. The former CM also assured all support and cooperation to the state government, whether legal or by way of making an appeal to the President of India, in this regard.

Referring to the recent developments in the aftermath of the court orders directing hanging of Rajoana, Capt Amarinder pointed out, “Sardar Beant Singh gave his life for peace in Punjab and the members of his family today are united in their belief that peace must be maintained in the state at all costs”, he said, while disclosing, that they have therefore called for the death sentence to Rajoana be commuted to life imprisonment. Some prominent leaders of the state Congress have chosen to remain silent on the issue as yet.

[Azaad]

A day after Congress Legislature Party leader Sunil Jakhar said the law should take its own course in the Beant Singh murder case, party's state president Capt Amarinder Singh said they would support any move by the state government to get assassin Balwant Singh Rajoana's death sentence commuted to life term.

Sources said this was the party's latest stand that had been arrived at after detailed discussion. They said Jakhar had made a personal statement on the issue.

The PCC president, in a statement here, said the party would support any step taken by the government, be it legal or an appeal to the President, to get Rajoana's death sentence commuted.

Sources said the Congress had realised that the Rajoana case was not only an emotive one, but could have widespread political ramifications. The party feels it could also become a Sikh issue and it did not want to be caught on the wrong side of the fence in such an eventuality. They said the Congress had, under the leadership of Capt Amarinder Singh, entrenched itself in the Jat Sikh peasantry and had won most of its seats (31) from the Malwa region in the Assembly elections. They said Rajoana was emerging as a hero among the Jat Sikh peasantry and that it was imperative that the party be seen taking steps to save him from the gallows.

The party has, as part of its strategy, involved Beant Singh's family in the issue, with his grandson Gurkirat Kotli saying "he had no objection to Rajoana being given clemency". Amarinder today said he appreciated and endorsed the stand taken by the Beant family. While referring to the recent developments in the aftermath of the court orders directing hanging of Rajoana, the PCC president said, "Beant Singh gave his life for peace in Punjab and the members of his family today are united in their belief that peace must be maintained in the state at all costs."