Jalandhar: Accusing the Union government of
not making sincere efforts to save 17 Indians facing gallows
in the UAE, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today
sought personal intervention of the President and the Prime
Minister in the matter.
Chief Minister and SAD supremo Parkash Singh Badal would
meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on April seven to take up
the issue with him, he told reporters here.
"The Centre has virtually made no sincere efforts to
save the Indian youths facing capital punishment in the UAE,"
Sukhbir said.
"It is the responsibility of the Union government to
file an appeal in the higher court," he said appealing to both
the President and the Prime Minister to personally intervene
in the matter.
On steps taken by the state government, Sukhbir said
"the state cannot take up the issue directly with the UAE
government."
"We can only appeal to the Centre and in this regard
the Chief Minister will meet the Prime Minister on Wednesday,"
he said.
Yesterday, Minister of State for External Affairs
Preneet Kaur met families of the convicted Indians and assured
them all support.
Seventeen Indians were sentenced to death on March 29
by a Sharjah Shariah court for allegedly killing a Pakistani
last year.
-PTI
