Patiala, Sep 29 (IANS): Akal Takht Acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami on Tuesday met death-row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana at the Central Jail in Punjab’s Patiala city.
The meeting is understood to have focused on issues concerning Rajoana, particularly his mercy petition pending with the Union government and the broader issue of Sikh prisoners lodged in different jails.
Quoting Rajoana, Dhami told the media after the meeting, “I am in high spirits, and I accept martyrdom over humiliation.”
Rajoana was awarded the death sentence for his role in the 1995 assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. His mercy petition, seeking commutation of the death sentence to life imprisonment, has been pending with the Centre since 2012.
The petition under Article 72 of the Constitution was moved by the SGPC in March 2012. This month, Rajoana wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking an early decision on his mercy petition against the death sentence.
The SGPC has repeatedly urged the Union government to take a decision on the petition, maintaining that the prolonged delay has caused distress to Rajoana.
In May 2025, Dhami had met Rajoana in the Patiala jail and criticised the Centre for not deciding his mercy plea. He had also said that Rajoana wanted the SGPC to withdraw its petition and press for an immediate decision.
The meeting comes amid continued efforts by Sikh religious bodies to pursue the cases of Sikh prisoners, popularly referred to as Bandi Singhs.
In a letter dated September 16, Rajoana said he had spent the past 30 years in prison and questioned why the Centre had not taken a decision on his plea.
Referring to the notification issued in 2019 on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, he said it had not been implemented till date.
