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Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Avtar Singh makkar on Friday reacted strongly against the rejection of the death commutation plea of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, a death row convict, by the Supreme Court, terming it a ‘murder of law’.
He said two sets of laws prevail in India and the “Sikhs have always been at the receiving end”.
Bhullar claimed that even in the case of heinous crimes, where the accused had killed many people, sentences had been commuted.
“This was the case that should have been treated sympathetically,” Makkar said.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh also termed the judgment of the court as unfortunate.
He appealed to community members to stay calm in this hour of sadness.
Singh said the killers in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots were roaming free, justice was yet to be meted out to the families of the victims and ‘Professor Bhullar’ too had been denied justice.
Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi chief Paramjit Singh Sarna asked all community members to unite.
He said the Sikh community had expected the Supreme Court to take a lenient view about Bhullar.
Surjit Kaur, Bhullar’s sister-in-law, wept on hearing the judgement, and said the family had hoped for a favourable judgement.
Major Singh, Bhullar's cousin from his native village of Dyalpura Bhaike, said there would be no fires lit in any of the hearths in the village in protest against the verdict.
He said they had lost all hope for justice and were unhappy as it was matter of sadness and regret.
“We hoped that given the conditions in which Bhular was in jail, a sympathetic view would be taken,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party welcomed the verdict, with Vice President Balbir Punj saying those who wage a war against the State should be ready to face the consequences.
"The Supreme Court judgment must be respected. And whatever punishment had been awarded by the highest court should be implemented. There cannot be any exception. Those who wage a war against the state and conspire to destabilise the country through arms should be ready to face the consequences," Punj said.