Patiala, Punjab (April 24, 2013): It is learnt that students of Punjabi University Patiala held a protest march in the University campus on April 23, 2013 to oppose the suspected execution of Sikh political prisoner Professor Devender Pal Singh Bhullar. Prof. Bhullar is facing imminent threat of execution in India as the Supreme Court of India had cleared his execution on April 12, 2013.
Punjabi University Students protested against suspected execution of Prof. Bhullar [April 23, 2013]
According to information students from various departments of the Punjabi University gathered near Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha Library took out a procession in various parts of the University campus. At the end of the march students offered prayers at Campus’ Gurudwara Sahib.
Students of Punjabi University had conducted a signature campaign and the signatures were sent to the President of India in 2009-10 when a constitutional review petition was pending before the President of India. But in 2011 the President of India had cleared the execution of Prof. Bhullar as all the pleas and appeals were overlooked by the Indian state.
Students were of the view that Prof. Bhullar was being executed due to political reasons.
“There are no legal basis behind his conviction. Just go the the library and read the judgement of Justice M. B. Shah from Legal referencing section, you will find that there was no evidence against this person (Bhullar)”, said a third year law students.
“Even the public prosecutor is saying that it was ‘most inappropriate’ and ‘judicial error’ for the Supreme Court of India to confirm death sentence in Prof. Bhullar’s case, then on what basis the govt. seems committed to hang him”, he added.
“Prof. Sahib, was sentenced to death just because that he was Sikh” said Gurpartap Singh. “This is a political murder and it has nothing to do with the law” he added.
Students demanded release of Prof. Bhullar.