India orders stay of Rajoana execution after appeals for mercy

India has granted a stay of execution in the case of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was found guilty of playing a key role in the assassination of the chief minister of the north-western Punjab state in 1995.

The hanging scheduled for Saturday would have been India's first capital sentence in eight years.

Indian press reports confirmed the country's home ministry had ordered a stay of execution to allow time for consideration of mercy petitions to President Pratibha Patil by top Sikh clerics. The chief minister of Punjab also met Patil on Wednesday night to ask for clemency on Rajoana's behalf.

This week, a court in the Punjab state capital, Chandigarh, rejected an appeal by the director of the jail where Rajoana is being held.

Rajoana was convicted in 2007 after an 11-year trial and has refused to plead for clemency, although co-conspirators have successfully appealed against their sentences.

Many Punjab traders and businesses observed a one-day strike on Wednesday called by Sikh organisations in protest at the planned execution. Tens of thousands of security personnel have been deployed around Punjab in recent days to maintain order.

Some groups have called him a "living Sikh martyr" and there are fears the execution could reopen old wounds.

"The death penalty is always wrong and the Indian government should immediately stop this execution," said Meenakshi Ganguly, south Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

With thanks:
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/29/india-stay-rajoana-execution-appeals

ITALY SIKH COUNCIL

Sd.Sukhdev Singh Kang,Senior Vice-President Shromani Akali Dal, Delhi ( Unit Italy ) along with other dignateries /representatives of Sikh community in Italy met honourable Mr.S K Verma, Consulate General of India, Milan on 26th March to hand over a memorandum in concern with legal redress and clemency for death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana .

Observe 31st March as Fateh Diwas :DSGMC

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managment Committee President Sd Paramjit Singh Sarna thanked the President as well all the Sikh bodies worldwide on the stay on hanging of Sd. Balwant singh Rajoana & requested to observe it as Fateh Diwas.

The Turban controversy with Mr Nitin Gadkari : DSGMC : SikhsIndia

We found the pics on the Facebook pages and asked Sd Paramjit Singh Sarna in this regard. We seek a clarification from Mr Nitin Gadkari too. Can anyone explain that why the Turbans that are the pride of Khalsa are lying on the table of a leader. Though we do not know that these pics are real or fake & what's the motive. But still, we can say that these pics are shocking. 

Mercy petition for Sd. Balwant Singh Rajoana, filed with President Smt. Pratibha Patil, by Sd Paramjit singh Sarna, President, DSGMC.

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No death penalty-Italy Sikh Council

The Sikh community in Italy organized a demonstration in Piazza Fontana ( near Duomo), Milano on 26th March 2012 from 9am.till 3 pm.against death penalty given to Balwant Singh Rajoana. Hundreds of Sikhs gathered from all over Italy to participate in this peaceful protest and to seek legal redress ..

After demonstration, delegation of Sikhs under representation of Sd.Sukhdev Singh Kang,Senior Vice-President Shromani Akali Dal, Delhi ( Unit Italy ) met honourable Mr.S K Verma, Consulate General of India, Milan to hand over a memorandum.

Sd.Sukhdaev Singh Kang in his statement said " Our only motive is to seek legal redress and clemency for death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana ."























News was covered by Italian media .See the following link :
http://milano.corriere.it/milano/foto_del_giorno/12_marzo_26/indiani-2003835196070.shtml

Beant killer wants no mercy, terms Akalis 'traitors of religion'

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its government may have pledged to make all possible attempts to save him from the gallows, but Balwant Singh Rajoana has scant regard for the "neeliyan paggaan wale (blue-turbaned)" leaders.

"I read it in newspapers that the Akali leadership, SAD-BJP government and the Shiromaani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC) are making efforts to get me mercy. Let me make it clear that I don't want or need any mercy of the leaders of an Indian State that I do not believe in," said Rajoana, the Babbar Khalsa militant convicted in the Beant Singh assassination case and currently lodged in Patiala Central Jail, in letter sent to the media through his sister Kamaljeet Kaur.

He described the Akali leaders as "cheaters of Sikh religion", who "deserted the original path of Sikhism under pressure of the Delhi-based central government". For the denial of justice to several victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, too, Rajoana blamed the entire Akali leadership of Punjab.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK for detailed news.

Poorvanchalis, sikhs feel left out of BJP nomination list

Rifts triggered by regional concerns have emerged within the BJP. The party leadership is being criticised for not giving enough representation to Sikhs and Poorvanchalis in the list of candidates for the MCD elections.

Not one Sikh party activist was given a ticket by the leadership to contest the elections. Poorvanchali candidates, who were expecting to be nominated for at least 30-40 seats, got just 20.

Awdhesh Singh, a Poorvanchali councillor and chairman of Shahdara North zone, was denied a ticket leading to a lot of heartburn.

“The number of Poorvanchalis in the city is high and we were expecting a bigger chunk,” said a Poorvanchali party worker. In the 2007 MCD elections, the party had given tickets to 25 poorvanchalis candidates and 10 were elected.

Several upset Sikh party workers went to meet the BJP’s national president, Nitin Gadkari, to register their protest.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK for detailed news.

Sikh high priests urge community to follow March 23 directions

AMRITSAR: Sikh high priests have once again cautioned Sikh organizations, which have chalked out separate programmes to protest against hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who is on a death row in case of assassination of former state chief minister Beant Singh.

After holding a meeting with four other Sikh high priests on Monday, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said that every Sikh should obey the March 23 directions issued by the Sikh clerics and not chalk out any individual programme that could disrupt hard-earned peace in the state.

A few Sikh organizations, including Khalsa Action Committee, Dal Khalsa, Shiromani Akali Dal(Amritsar) Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani), have announced their programme to take out a march from the Akal Takht to Patiala on March 29 and hold a religious programme outside Central Jail, Patiala, till March 31.

The Akal Takht on March 23 had directed the Sikh men and women to wear saffron turbans and dupattas, respectively, on March 28, and put up Khalsa insignias on their business complexes, houses and vehicles. It also asked them to offer prayers and perform ardas for 'chardi kalan' (high esteem) of Rajoana by keeping aside their professional commitments.

with thanks : Times of India : LINK for detailed news.

MCD Elections : Janpath : Delhi AajTak

Goindwal Sahib : SikhsIndia