Why does Badal want the release of the bomb blast convict?

CHANDIGARH: Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday demanded the immediate release of 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict Davinderpal Singh Bhullar in view of the “overall interest of strengthening peace and communal harmony” in Punjab.

Nine people were killed in the blast while 31 others were injured. The then Youth Congress President MS Bitta is also among the survivors of the attack. Bhullar was convicted in the same case.

In a statement issued here, Badal urged Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to take a decision without being influenced by communal bias or political or electoral opportunism for granting immediate approval for Bhullar’s release. “Bhullar should be released without a moment’s delay as he has already served his entire sentence in jail,” Badal said.

The SAD patriarch said, “Punjab had suffered a lot in the past due to petty communal and polarizing political conspiracies by Congress rulers. Arvind Kejriwal should resist the temptation to follow the same path for the same small reasons.

Bhullar was sentenced to death by a designated TADA court in August 2001, but in 2014 the Supreme Court commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment. The Center had in September 2019 recommended special exemption to eight Sikh prisoners, including Bhullar, on the occasion of the 500th Prakash Parv of Guru Nanak Devji.

It has been alleged by some Sikh bodies that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has not approved Bhullar’s release. A few days ago, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee had also accused the Delhi government of obstructing Bhullar’s release.