Congress leader Ravneet Singh asks for PM Modi's intervention

Punjab Congress leader Ravneet Singh on Wednesday asked for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention following the commutation of former Chief Minister Beant Singh's assassin Balwant Singh Rajoana's death sentence. The Centre had recently approved the commutation of Rajoana's death sentence to life imprisonment as a 'humanitarian gesture'.

"Before the implementation of the above decision, I would like to meet your good-self to raise my views regarding the decision and represent my ministers for the security of the country," Congress leader Ravneet Singh wrote in his letter.

Former Chief Minister Beant Singh and 17 others were killed in Chandigarh after an explosion outside the civil secretariat in August 1995. The assassin, Balwant Singh Rajoana was given a death sentence in the year 2007 in connection with the case.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Ravneet Singh has reminded the Prime Minister that Rajaona was convicted in the case and has asked for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's time to discuss the issue.

While interacting with a news agency, Ravneet Singh said, "I want Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah to hear out my plea. The repercussion of such a thing would be devastating."

Beant Singh's grandson Gurkirat Singh Kotli, who is also a lawmaker from Khanna, will move to the Supreme Court against the commutation.

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The assassination of late former Punjab CM Beant Singh

On August 31, 1995, Beant Singh under whose rule Khalistani terrorism came to an end, was killed in an explosion outside the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh. Seventeen others also lost their lives in the explosion in which Punjab police employee Dilawar Singh had acted as a human bomb. The Babbar Khalsa terrorist was the second human bomb in case the first one would have failed in killing the Congress leader. Balwant Singh Rajoana was convicted in the assassination of the former CM and was awarded a death sentence in 2007.

READ | Punjab CM asks MHA to explain decision on Beant Singh's assassin