Amritsar, July 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana has appealed to the Acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, to summon the Sikh leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and seek an explanation over the prolonged delay in deciding the mercy petition filed to commute his death sentence.
In a letter addressed to the Acting Jathedar, Rajoana expressed concern that despite the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) having moved a mercy petition seeking commutation of his death sentence several years ago, no decision has yet been taken by the authorities.
He urged the Akal Takht to summon BJP’s Sikh leaders and ask why a decision, which he claimed should ordinarily have been taken within six months, remained pending even after nearly 15 years.
‘Either Seek an Answer or Withdraw the Plea’
Rajoana stated that if no explanation could be obtained for the prolonged delay, the SGPC should consider withdrawing its mercy petition.
He said the continued pendency of the case had left him trapped in uncertainty for years.
’31 Years in Jail, 19 Years in Death Cell’
In the letter, Rajoana said he had completed 31 years in prison and would complete 19 years in the death cell on July 31.
He appealed to the Akal Takht to help free him from what he described as political manoeuvring and conspiracies surrounding his case.
Rajoana urged the Akal Takht to seek accountability from the BJP’s Sikh leadership regarding the reasons for the delay in the decision on his mercy petition, maintaining that the issue deserved a clear and transparent response.
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