The antim ardas was attended by notable personalities.
Balwant Singh Rajoana, a death row convict in the assassination case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, was granted parole on Wednesday to attend the antim ardas of his brother, Kulwant Singh, at their native village, Rajoana Kalan, in Ludhiana. Escorted under tight security from Patiala Jail, Rajoana participated in the prayer ceremony held at Manji Sahib Gurdwara.
This marked only the second instance of Rajoana stepping out of prison in nearly three decades. Previously, he was permitted parole in January 2022 to attend the last rites of his father. The Punjab and Haryana High Court approved a three-hour parole for this occasion, allowing him to attend the ceremony from 11 am to 2 pm.
The antim ardas was attended by notable personalities, including Giani Raghbir Singh, Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib; Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC); and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia.
Addressing the gathering, Rajoana reflected on his family’s sacrifices and the collective struggles of the Sikh community. He spoke emotionally about the pain endured by his siblings and the Sikh Panth. His two brothers, Gurmeet Singh and Shamsher Singh, both engineers, have also spent 30 years in prison for their involvement in various cases.
Rajoana described his village as sanctified by the footsteps of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and recounted how he embraced what he termed a "life mission." He credited his family and the Sikh community for their unwavering support during his decades-long incarceration.
He paid special homage to his sister, Kamaldeep Kaur, whom he described as a pillar of strength. Rajoana also reminisced about his journey with Dilawar Singh, who carried out the 1995 suicide bombing that killed Beant Singh. He highlighted their shared resolve and commitment to alleviating the suffering of the Sikh community.
Rajoana has been in prison since 1995 and was sentenced to death in 2007. Despite repeated appeals from Sikh organisations and leaders, his clemency plea has been pending for over 12 years. Recently, the Supreme Court referred his mercy petition to the President of India, directing a decision to be made within two weeks. The court emphasized that clemency decisions lie solely within the executive’s jurisdiction, limiting judicial intervention.
Rajoana’s legal team has argued for his death sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment, citing the prolonged delay in execution as a form of mental torture. The outcome of his clemency plea remains awaited.
