Akal Takht seeks community opinion on Rajoana’s remission plea withdrawal

Amritsar: The Panj Singh Sahiban, the highest temporal authority in Sikhism, held a meeting at the Secretariat of Sri Akal Takht Sahib to discuss the case of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who has been on death row for over 30 years.

The Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Raghbir Singh, announced that Sikh organizations, scholars, and intellectuals are being asked to provide their opinions on whether to withdraw the petition filed with the President of India seeking remission of Rajoana’s death sentence.

Rajoana has urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to withdraw the plea, expressing frustration over being imprisoned for nearly 18 years without resolution. The SGPC’s appeal against his death sentence has been pending with the Government of India for 12 years, with no decision forthcoming.

In addition to the Rajoana case, Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh emphasized the importance of maintaining decorum during the upcoming celebrations of the marriage anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Batala.

He urged the Sikh community to refrain from activities that go against Sikh principles, such as dancing, loud celebrations, and non-traditional weddings, noting that such trends have been observed in the past.

The meeting was attended by prominent Sikh leaders, including the Jathedars of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Takht Sri Patna Sahib, and representatives from Sri Harmandir Sahib.