The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday urged the Centre to commute the sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who has been convicted in the assassination case of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, to life imprisonment.

A SAD delegation under the leadership of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, which met Union home minister Rajnath Singh, said Rajoana’s sentence should be commuted to life imprisonment as he was already incarcerated for 21 years.

The SAD, which presented a memorandum along with SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal, urged the Union home minister to resolve all pending issues of the Sikh community submitted to the ministry of home affairs by the Shiromani Gurdwar a Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) at the earliest. It also called for release of all Sikh prisoners languishing in various jails in India even after completion of their jail terms.

The representation while urging the Home minister to examine these issues expeditiously, said they were linked with the sentiments of the Sikh community. The delegation called for formation of a special court for day to day trial of all cases of 1984 Sikh genocide in Delhi to ensure time bound delivery of justice.

A SAD delegation called for formation of a special court for day to day trial of all cases of 1984 Sikh genocide in Delhi to ensure time bound delivery of justice. The representation while urging the home minister to examine these issues expeditiously, said they were linked with the sentiments of the Sikh community.

The delegation members, including Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Balwinder Singh Bhundur, Naresh Gujral, Manjit Singh GK and Tarlochan Singh, urged the Centre to pay compensation to all Jodhpur Sikh detainees saying only 40 detainees out of total of 365 had been paid compensation.

It also urged for citizenship to all Hindu and Sikhs who had been forced out of Afghanistan since 1989 besides restoration of Gurdwara Dong Maar Sahib and hand over of its management to the Sikh community.

The delegation took up the issue of free passage to Gurdwara Kartarpur in Pakistan from Dera Baba Nanak on the Indian side. It also briefed Rajnath as to how Sikhs were being discriminated against in Jammu and Kashmir and urged they be granted micro minority status to get fair representation in government jobs and schemes.

The delegation also urged the home minister to ensure the rights and security of Sikhs who were being asked to shift from their houses in Sikkim.