'Personally against death penalty', says Punjab CM on relief to Rajoana

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday differed from a party MP's stand on the commutation of terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana's death sentence, saying he is against capital punishment.

Ludhiana Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, who is the grandson of slain former chief minister Beant Singh, has questioned the Centre's move, saying the dreaded terrorist should not be "spared" at any cost.

Rajoana was given death penalty for involvement in the killing of Beant Singh, credited with ending terrorism in Punjab, on August 31, 1995.

Talking to reporters here in Ludhiana on Monday, the CM said he was personally against death penalty, which he had said back in 2012 too.

All cases of death penalty should be commuted to life imprisonment, he said, indirectly endorsing the commutation of the death sentence.

He however, said the Congress stand on Beant Singh's killers had always been clear and consistent--that they should serve their full sentence.

The CM said the Centre had demanded a ...