Shiromani Sikh Council International wants capital punishment abolished

Shiromani Sikh Council International wants capital punishment abolished
Express news service

[www.expressindia.com]


Ludhiana, March 30 Shiromani Sikh Council International (SSCI) today urged the government to abolish the death sentence in the country.
“Even the United Kingdom, the country that ruled over India, has abolished this sentence while we still feel proud in prouncing death sentence on a regular basis,” said Narayan Singh pf the council, while speaking at a press conference here today. He said that the state government should impress upon the Central government to repeal the capital punishment.

“Except the Arab countries, all civilised nations have done away with it, and if it is still there, they have not exercised it for over two-three decades.”

The members also demanded that the government should also release the prisoners who have already served a sentence of 14 years imprisonment. The members also said that the government deserved to plead with Pakistan for Sarabjit’s release only after announcing the release of the prisoners like Jagtar Singh Hawara, Balwant SIngh and Davinder Singh Bhullar, who were sentenced for life imprisonment in Beant Singh’s murder case. included Pal SIngh, G.S. MIddha, Amrik SIngh and Sukhwinder Singh.

Even though this is not related to the article I have always wondered what the Gurmat view is in regards to Death Penalty.

There have been some cases when it was Ok . For example, Banda Singh Bahadur Ji avenged the death of the Sahibzadey.
Also Bhai Sukha and Bhai Mehtab Singh Ji also avenged Massa Rangar for his beadbi at Harmandir Sahib. But there are many cases when GUru Sahib forgave the culprit ex Aurangzeb, Jahangir, etc.

I believe capital punishment should be avoided. When the aggressor is committing an aggression, at that time he has to be stopped and if in this process, he is killed, that is fine. Prime example of this is Massa Rangar, and other such dushts who were killed while they were committing the aggression. Vazir Khan too was the ruler when he was killed.

During the 40 or so years of Sikh rule by Raja Ranjit Singh, not a single person is said to have been punished to death. I think it is better for mortal beings not to kill anyone but give other punishments like jail sentence etc because we are not capable of giving life. Guru Sahib on the other hand is capable of giving life and for this reason can give capital punishment too e.g. Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee gave capital punishment to the masands of Baba Raam Rai who had burned him alive, when he was in Smadhi.

I have not fully made up my mind on this. I just wrote what came to mind at the present moment.

Kulbir Singh

I have also always been against the death penalty, but then when I thought about Banda Singh Bahadur punishing Wazir Khan then I thought maybe its not so wrong. My understanding of the situation is that Wazir Khan was captured and then executed which to me seems no different then the death penalty. I know that receiving death from the sword of a SIngh is not a bad punishment if anything its a blessing ( kirpa). I was wondering how would someone like Ajit Phoola be treated in Khalsa Raj. He raped young girls, he murdered families, etc. How would Khalsa administer justice to such people. People like that could only redeem themselves through the edge of a Singhs sword. I think it has left to due with revenge, and more to do with divine justice.


But then again when Guru Ji asked Bahadur Shah promised to help Shah gain power in order that he hand him over the culprit that killed the Sahibzadey , I dont think Guru Ji would have not killed those culprits. Personally I think this was a test to Bahadur Shah to see if he could live up to moral standards and established a just regime. But he proved to be no different then the rest of his family members. He was a dishonest politician.