Parkash Singh Badal defends his govt seeking mercy for Balwant Singh Rajoana

Fatehgarh Sahib: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday defended the state government's seeking clemency for death convict Balwant Singh Rajoana saying since the mercy plea of the other co-accused was pending in courts it was not at all justified to hang him till the outcome of these appeals.

Badal said that the state government had taken this stand "keeping in view the sentiments of the people and in order to avoid any law and order problem".

Rajoana, a Babbar Khalsa terror group member, has been sentenced to death for killing former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995.

Rajoana, a Babbar Khalsa terror group member, has been sentenced to death for killing former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.

Earlier, addressing a gathering here, Badal appealed to the people to maintain peace, communal harmony and amity in the state and to thwart "anti-Punjab forces bent upon vitiating the congenial atmosphere" in the state.

The Chief Minister said that unfortunately the recent disturbances in the state have indicated that "anti Punjab forces" were again trying to raise their ugly head to disturb the hard-earned peace in the state.

Badal said though the state government was fully vigilant to crush the "nefarious designs" of such forces the people of the state also need to play a proactive role by extending support to the government at this juncture.

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