March 23, 2012- Union Cabinet Minister Dr Manohar Singh Gill has demanded to abolish the death penalty from Indian judicial system with immediate affect.
Congress party Rajya Sabha MP Dr Manohar Singh Gill’s these remarks coming at a time when BKI militant Balwant Singh Rajoana is facing death penalty, assume lot of significance.
However, without referring to Rajoana, Dr Gill in an exclusive talk with Jago Punjab Jago India, said, “In fact India has abolished death penalty quite a long time back, but, judiciary has revived this process of awarding death sentence in some of the cases categorized as rare of rarest”.
A bureaucrat-turned-politician Dr Manohar Singh Gill said that Indian legislature must reaffirm its position on abolishing the death penalty through Parliament. “In rare of rarest crime cases the accused could be put into jails for a very long time on lines of United States,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Gill fully supported the idea mooted by noted Pakistani lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jehangir for forging a bilateral treaty between India and Pakistan to facilitate the unhindered exchange of prisoners who have served their jail term in the two countries but are still languishing in jails.
Dr Gill said that the treaty must serve the humanitarian purpose to instantly repatriate the prisoners as soon as they complete their sentence. He said that those, who inadvertently cross the border must immediately be handed over to their respective countries authorities.
Union Minister also sought to instantly release all those fishermen, who are caught while fishing. He also advocated to simultaneously return the seized boats of fishermen pleading that otherwise released fishermen would end up loosing their livelihood.
Dr Gill also showered praise on Asma Jehangir for being visionary and bold human rights activist. It may be mentioned here that Asma is part of the 205-member delegation of Pak’s Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) that on Wednesday crossed over via Attari-Wagah land route for their India visit during which they will participate in various seminars on legal issues.
JPJI Bureau
kracktivist 
Mar 23, 2012 @ 21:45:53
That “rarest of rare” phrase has been cited by so many lower court judges that it ought to have become an object of ridicule, and would have if only India had a more vibrant anti-death penalty lobby and a more balanced media.
Mr Gill is perhaps alluding to the fact that parts of India had abolished DP, such as Travancore in the 20th century. Maharajah Ranjit Singh in the 19th is reputed to have never used DP.
It is heartening that Mr Gill has called for its abolition. Will Mr Manmohan Singh pay heed? And will Mr Chidambaram comply?
Mar 25, 2012 @ 10:37:45
but can we retrieve the dead by doing this. i think human rights are for humane only..
Jun 17, 2013 @ 08:31:00
This design is spectacular! You obviously know
how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos,
I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!
) Fantastic job. I really loved what you had
to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
Jun 18, 2013 @ 00:57:27
Great blog! Do you have any suggestions for aspiring writers?
I’m planning to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
Would you propose starting with a free platform like WordPress or
go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m completely confused .. Any suggestions? Bless you!