Amidst growing resentment among the Sikh community over the delay in release of 1993 Delhi blast convict Prof Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, Punjab’s five-time former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday called for his immediate release “in the larger interest of consolidating peace and communal harmony in Punjab”.

Badal urged the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejrival not to allow a communal bias or political or electoral opportunism to dictate his decision and refusal to grant immediate clearance for Bhullar’s release.

“Bhullar must be released without even a moment’s delay as he had already served his full term in jail...Punjab had suffered enough because of these petty communal and polarizing political conspiracies by the Congress rulers in the past. Kejriwal must resist the temptation to walk the same path for the same petty reasons,” said senior Badal, who is currently recovering from COVID-19.

Also drawing Kejriwal’s attention to the serious health complications Bhullar is facing, Badal said that even the basic humanitarian concern, apart from just legal considerations, should compel you to act expeditiously and positively in this case.

“I really don’t know why the Delhi Chief Minister is not allowing justice to be delivered to Bhullar even after the latter has already suffered long years of laceration and served more time in jail than the full tenure of sentence. There is no legal, judicial or moral ground for keeping the long lacerated Sardar Bhullar behind the bars now .Why Kejrival has not granted the necessary clearance for this, only his conscience or his political know,” said the Akali stalwart while urging and requesting “Kejriwal sahib” to immediately accord the requisite permission. “And I see no reason why he wouldn’t heed my request and advice in this regard,” said the elder statesman.