The hanging of Sikh freedom fighter Balwant Singh Rajoana, assassin of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh - scheduled for Saturday, March 31, 2012 - was stayed on Wednesday, March 28, 2012, by the Indian Government, in response to growing unrest in Punjab and around the country over the issue, as well as mounting international pressure.
The scheduled hanging had got the politics of Punjab and India in a turmoil with the state's ruling Akali Dal campaigning against his execution while its coalition partner, the right-wing Hindu party, BJP, disfavouring such a course.
Jail authorities had repeatedly declared that they would not carry out the hanging on Saturday, despite court orders issued vehemently by Hindu judges and threats by them to hold the jail officials in contempt.
Yesterday, the prestigious Human Rights Watch issued the following statement, admonishing the Indian government on this issue:
“The death penalty is always wrong and the Indian government should immediately stop this execution. Beyond that, executing Rajoana would merely continue the cycle of distrust between members of the Sikh community and the Indian state that has long divided communities.”
Punjab's Congress leaders had also pleaded to the Centre for the stay.
Bhai Balwant Singh, a police constable and a close friend of another freedom fighter, Dilawar Singh Babbar, was the second human bomb to be used in case the first one failed to kill Beant Singh on August 31, 1995.
Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh - concerned over a huge baccklash building in his state - called on President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday morning and pleaded on behalf of his own government for a stay in the execution.
This is merely a stay, that is, the hanging has been put into abeyance, but not cancelled.
Indian Govt Caves In Face Of International Outrage