Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana to Start Hunger Strike Tomorrow
Posted: 15 Jul 2018 05:29 AM PDTPATIALA—Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, the death row convict in Beant “Singh” assassination case, has announced to go on hunger strike on July 16. He has announced to go on hunger strike in protest of the delay in decision by the Union Home Ministry on the mercy petition moved by SGPC in March-2012.
In a letter addressed to the Patiala Jail superintendent, Bhai Rajoana has informed him that he has been languishing in jails for the last 22 ½ years and is being detained in the execution cell from the last 11 years. He added that the SGPC had moved a mercy petition before the Indian President (without his consent) in March-2012 seeking commutation of his death penalty to life imprisonment. “On March 28, 2012, the Indian President had stayed my execution and had forwarded my application to the Union Home Ministry” he informed.
Bhai Rajoana further said in the letter that the Union Home Ministry has not been delivering any decision on the petition despite a long period of 6 years and 4 months. “In such circumstances, I am forced to go on hunger strike till the Union Home Ministry doesn’t conclude the petition or the SGPC doesn’t withdraw this petition” he added.