Balwant hanging: Sukhbir calls urgent meet

Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has called an urgent meeting of Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) high powered core committee on Sunday evening to discuss the Akal Takht directive issued to him, his father Prakash Singh Badal and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Avtar Singh Makkar to meet President of India to seek unconditional release of Balwant Singh Rajoana.

Balwant Singh has been convicted by the court in the assassination of Punjab chief minister Beant Singh.
The Sikh clergy after a marathon meeting at Akal Takht on Friday issued a directive after seeking views of various Sikh organisations. Apart from issuing directive to Badals and Makkar, the clergy accorded the honour of martyr on Dilawar Singh and living martyr on Balwant Singh.

The Punjab and Haryana High court has issued black warrants for the hanging of Balwant Singh on March 31. Earlier, the court on March 22 dismissed a PIL seeking stay on the death sentence of Balwant.

Chief Minister Beant Singh was assassinated by human bomb Dilawar Singh in front of the civil secretariat in Chandigarh in 1995. Balwant is currently lodged in Patiala Jail. He had refused to go in for appeal against the capital punishment awarded to him.

It may be mentioned that Badal, when questioned by newsmen yesterday morning, had said how he could intervene in this case.

Shiromani Akali Dal which had contested the Assembly elections on the issue of development and performance is suddenly caught in the vortex of Panthic politics within days of forming the government for the second consecutive term by breaking the rotational power cycle.