Punjab CM meets PM, seeks clemency for Bhullar

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here seeking clemency for Khalistani terrorist Devenderpal Singh Bhullar.

"We asked the Prime Minister to find out a way so that he (Bhullar) can be granted clemency," the Punjab Chief Minister told reporters after the meeting.

Rejecting suggestions that commuting Bhullar's death sentence will send a 'wrong' message, senior Badal said the state needs peace and harmony the most.

"See, you do not understand. What we need most is peace and harmony. If it affects peace and harmony, it will become an emotive issue. We are warning the government that people are emotional. Moreover, he is in a poor health condition... what will they gain by hanging him," he said.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) veteran claimed if the Centre or a state government commits even a small mistake, it has to "pay the price".

"I have the experience of how much the country has lost due to incorrect decisions. In the interest of the state, in the interest of the country, we are asking to stop it," he said referring to the execution of Bhullar.

Badal also cited the split Supreme Court judgement which confirmed death penalty for Bhullar and said even Germany, from where Bhullar was extradited, had opposed death sentence.

Meanwhile, sources in the Prime Minister's Office said the government was studying the representation made by the Punjab government to the Prime Minister on Bhullar issue.

Earlier, Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, had directed Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to ensure measures to save Bhullar from the gallows.

The Supreme Court had last week dismissed death row convict Bhullar's plea for commutation of his death sentence.

The apex court had reserved its order on April 19 last year on the plea of Bhullar's family which had filed a petition on his behalf pleading that his capital punishment be commuted to life as there has been "inordinate" delay in deciding his mercy plea and he is not mentally sound.