Harsimrat Badal demands release of Sikh prisoners who have served their sentences

Chandigarh, April 4: Former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Monday demanded the release of all Sikhs detained in various jails in the country even after the completion of their sentences. The Bathinda MP who raised the matter during question hour in parliament stated that following the attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib by the Congress government led by Indira Gandhi in 1984, several Sikhs were emotionally swayed and took the law into their own hands. She added that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had been seeking the release of the detainees after the completion of their sentences, however, some continue to be in prisons even after a period of 25 years. Harsimrat Badal further informed the house that during the 550th anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji in 2019, the NDA government granted eight Sikh prisoners a special remission. Prof Devenderpal Singh Bhullar, whose death sentence had been commuted to life imprisonment earlier in March 2014, and Gurdeep Singh Khaira were among these detainees, she added. Despite this clear order, she claims, the AAP government in Delhi which is led by Arvind Kejriwal is refusing to release Prof Bhullar. Also Read | Punjab Police felicitates 404 personnel on their birthdays Gurdeep Singh Khaira, she said, has been imprisoned in a Karnataka jail without parole for more than 25 years. The Shiromani Akali Dal leader, speaking about the excessive delay in making a decision on death row prisoner Balwant Singh Rajjoana's mercy petition, said the apex court had now directed the centre to make a decision on Rajjoana's mercy petition by April 30. Rajjoana had been imprisoned for 27 years and had lately been granted his first parole for an hour to attend his father's last rites. Despite the fact that Rajjoana was given a remission by the union government in 2019, she stated this was the status of affairs because the administration did not convey the remission to the court or send it to the President to seek a pardon. Harsimrat Kaur Badal added that while the Congress party's sentiments were linked to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib, the entire Sikh world was united in wishing for the detainees' early release. Also Read | CM Gehlot slams Centre over Karauli violence, urges PM Modi to address issue -PTC News