India News | Bittu Urges PM Not to Heed Badal's Plea Seeking Clemency for Beant Singh Assassination Case Convict

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Tuesday raised with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the issue of Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal seeking expeditious release of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh's assassination case, and said that granting clemency to him would send a very wrong message and embolden the country's enemies.

In a letter to Modi, Bittu expressed concern over the "devious designs" of Badal who he said has recently sent a letter to the prime minister urging intervention in ensuring the expeditious release of "dreaded terrorist" Rajoana.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Outlines Five Goals for WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine.

"I am a very proud grandson of Beant Singh, the illustrious former chief minister of Punjab whose strong and determined leadership to the state during its most turbulent times helped restore normalcy after many years of terrorist violence," Bittu said.

"As you know, he had always worked tirelessly for restoration of peace and harmony in Punjab but in this quest, was brutally assassinated on 31st August 1995 by the active connivance of Rajoana who had been convicted and given a death sentence," he said in his letter.

Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: Man Befriends Woman on WhatsApp, Blackmails And Rapes Her For A Year; Arrested.

Bittu said he is "appalled" by the repeated pleas of Badal to Modi and various other authorities to secure the expeditious release of Rajoana.

"I also would earnestly request you to consider not succumbing to the repeated urgings of leaders like Badal and other like-minded people who are against a progressive Punjab and not to provide any kind of relief to Balwant Singh Rajoana and other such dreaded terrorists which as earlier stated can have very devastating ramifications for the future of Punjab," Bittu said.

Any favourable decision on giving clemency to Rajoana, will send a very wrong message and further embolden the enemies of the country to give shape to their sinister plots against our motherland, he asserted.

Bittu also urged the government to introduce a comprehensive policy through a legislation to ensure that the execution of sentences granted to such dreaded convicts should not be prolonged for long periods to somehow create a wrong perception of victimhood in their favour.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)