By IANS,
Chandigarh: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday said it would not support a resolution proposed to be brought by the Shiromani Akali Dal, the senior partner in Punjab’s alliance government, seeking clemency for Khalistani terrorist Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, who is on death row.
“There is no change in our policy on terror. It is very clear. We will not support any resolution brought by the Akali Dal (in the Punjab assembly) to seek clemency for Bhullar,” BJP senior vice president Shanta Kumar told the media here.
Party general secretary Jagat Prakash Nadda was also present on the occasion.
“Our stand (on this issue) does not fluctuate or change on terror. Our stand is consistent on this,” Shanta Kumar said.
But he added that the stand of the BJP had no bearing on the party’s ties with the Akali Dal or on the alliance government in Punjab.
“The (BJP) stand will not cast a shadow on our age old ties with the Akali Dal,” he clarified.
“It happens in a coalition. Parties can differ over an issue. This will not have any impact on our ties. These (ties) will remain strong as ever,” Shanta Kumar said.
The Akali Dal has indicated it would bring a resolution, on the lines of the one passed by the Tamil Nadu assembly seeking clemency from the death penalty for the conspirators in former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, seeking clemency for Bhullar.
The Akali Dal move is being seen in a political colour as assembly elections are due in Punjab in February-March, 2012.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had last month sought personal intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in securing early pardon for Bhullar, who is on a death row for a terror attack on former Indian Youth Congress president Maninderjit Singh Bitta.
Badal had said that this was essential “for the sentiments and feelings of the entire Sikh community”.
A member of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terror outfit, Bhullar was sentenced to death for masterminding a 1993 car bomb attack in front of the Youth Congress office in New Delhi that killed 12 people.