The Akal Takht (eternal throne; AT) Jathedar (leader) Giani Raghbir Singh has convened a meeting of the Panj Singh Sahibaan (five loved ones) on 2 Dec. The AT has summoned SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Sikh ministers from the SAD-BJP govt. (2007-2017). Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Harjinder Singh Dhami, along with all relevant secretaries of the committee, have also been directed to appear in person. Badal was earlier declared tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) and he later resigned from the SAD presidency, in an effort to appear before the AT as a ‘humble Sikh.’ Meanwhile, on 20 Nov, the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed a 3-hour parole for Balwant Singh Rajoana to attend his brother Kulwant Singh’s bhog (funeral rites) in Ludhiana’s Rajoana Kalan village. Rajoana is on death row in a case involving the assassination of former Panjab CM Beant Singh in 1995. In his address at the bhog, Rajoana urged Sikhs to ‘unite and strengthen their organizations.’ Referring to ‘Operation Blue Star,’ he said, ‘The Center conspired against Sikhs by sending tanks and the army to Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple). Now, they have kept me in the fansi chakki (death row) for 18 years.’ Rajoana is seeking commutation of his death sentence because of the President of India’s ‘extraordinary and inordinate delay’ in deciding his petition. On 25 Nov, during a hearing of Rajoana’s petition in the Supreme Court of India (SCI), Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said, ‘Several agencies need to be consulted. We need some more time.’ The SCI has adjourned Rajoana’s petition by four weeks (SDW Vol 2, Issue 46, Story 3).
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