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Rajoana issue brings spotlight back on Panthic agenda in Punjab
CHANDIGARH: Within a week after the execution orders of Balwant Singh Rajoana, were passed, the prime focus of Punjab politics has shifted to Panthic agenda once again from development.
Balwant Singh had literally faded away from the memories of the people way back after he was convicted in 2007 until March 10 when Additional Sessions and District judge Shalini Nagpal issued his death warrant and fixed the execution date. The issue did not come to the fore despite the fact that his sister Kamaldeep Kaur held a press conference to highlight the issue as the Punjab was all set for the swearing-in ceremony of the Parkash Singh Badal led government on March 12.
The issue was again buried till March 19 owing to the euphoria of new government formation in Punjab. After the warrants were re-issued on March 19, the entire scene in Punjab changed.
Jathedar Akal Takht Gyani Gurbachan Singh, priest of highest temporal seat of Sikhs went to meet Rajoana lodged in Patiala jail after the second warrant was issued by the court, in a hope to persuade Rajoana for a mercy petition.
The timing of the death warrant has raised many eyebrows. In latest development, the CHandiggarh court on Tuesday returned the death warrants of Rajoana to Patiala jail.
As per the political gurus, the move would have served two purposes. One is to hamper the development( Badal won the elctions on the basis of development in the state) and the other is to strain the relations between the alliance partners SAD and BJP as both the parties are deviating on this particular issue.
However, the two parties remained thick and thin during the entire episode. The family of slain Punjab chief minister Beant Singh pacified the radicals by stating that they had no issues with clemency for Rajoana. Badal once again showed his political wisdom forcing Punjab Congress Captain Amarinder Singh to issue a statement in favour of Rajoana's clemency.
The second warrant was issued on March 19; the government was still working out for a plan. Jathedar Akal Takht convened a meeting on the issue on March 23. Apparently under pressure from the radical elements and witnessing the massive support in favour of Rajoana, the Jathedar delared Dilawar Singh who was the human bomb in the Beant Singh assassination case as a €martyr€ and Rajoana as €living martyr€. Jathedar even issued an edict to the SGPC, the chief minister and the SAD president to seek clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana.
The core committee of SAD directed the SGPC to petition for clemency to the President, something which forced the Congress to issue a statement supporting the clemency move. Badal had already taken top political leaders of BJP like LK Advani and Arun Jaitley into confidence before the core committee could ask chief minister Badal to make a statement expressing his inability on executing Rajoana. Therefore, there was not much furore in the House when Badal did so.
The SAD might have been able to neutralize hardliners but from the entire episode and the stand adopted by Shiromani Akali Dal, it has become clear that Panthic agenda still plays a pivotal role in the Punjab politics.
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Punjab Newsline
CHANDIGARH: Within a week after the execution orders of Balwant Singh Rajoana, were passed, the prime focus of Punjab politics has shifted to Panthic agenda once again from development.
Balwant Singh had literally faded away from the memories of the people way back after he was convicted in 2007 until March 10 when Additional Sessions and District judge Shalini Nagpal issued his death warrant and fixed the execution date. The issue did not come to the fore despite the fact that his sister Kamaldeep Kaur held a press conference to highlight the issue as the Punjab was all set for the swearing-in ceremony of the Parkash Singh Badal led government on March 12.
The issue was again buried till March 19 owing to the euphoria of new government formation in Punjab. After the warrants were re-issued on March 19, the entire scene in Punjab changed.
Jathedar Akal Takht Gyani Gurbachan Singh, priest of highest temporal seat of Sikhs went to meet Rajoana lodged in Patiala jail after the second warrant was issued by the court, in a hope to persuade Rajoana for a mercy petition.
The timing of the death warrant has raised many eyebrows. In latest development, the CHandiggarh court on Tuesday returned the death warrants of Rajoana to Patiala jail.
As per the political gurus, the move would have served two purposes. One is to hamper the development( Badal won the elctions on the basis of development in the state) and the other is to strain the relations between the alliance partners SAD and BJP as both the parties are deviating on this particular issue.
However, the two parties remained thick and thin during the entire episode. The family of slain Punjab chief minister Beant Singh pacified the radicals by stating that they had no issues with clemency for Rajoana. Badal once again showed his political wisdom forcing Punjab Congress Captain Amarinder Singh to issue a statement in favour of Rajoana's clemency.
The second warrant was issued on March 19; the government was still working out for a plan. Jathedar Akal Takht convened a meeting on the issue on March 23. Apparently under pressure from the radical elements and witnessing the massive support in favour of Rajoana, the Jathedar delared Dilawar Singh who was the human bomb in the Beant Singh assassination case as a €martyr€ and Rajoana as €living martyr€. Jathedar even issued an edict to the SGPC, the chief minister and the SAD president to seek clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana.
The core committee of SAD directed the SGPC to petition for clemency to the President, something which forced the Congress to issue a statement supporting the clemency move. Badal had already taken top political leaders of BJP like LK Advani and Arun Jaitley into confidence before the core committee could ask chief minister Badal to make a statement expressing his inability on executing Rajoana. Therefore, there was not much furore in the House when Badal did so.
The SAD might have been able to neutralize hardliners but from the entire episode and the stand adopted by Shiromani Akali Dal, it has become clear that Panthic agenda still plays a pivotal role in the Punjab politics.
For more News visit:
Punjab Newsline
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