New Delhi: Against the backdrop of clemency
demands for death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana, BJP and
SAD today made a strong pitch in the Rajya Sabha for abolition
of death penalty by asking Government to bring a legislation.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Naresh Gujral (SAD)
said the civilised world is gradually abolishing capital
punishment with only few countries like China, Iran, North
Korea, Yemen and Saudi Arabia still contributing to death
penalty.
Terming death penalty as "ultimate denial of human
rights", Gujral said India, which is a peace loving country,
should not support death penalty.
"I urge Government to bring a legislation to abolish
death penalty," he said.
Joining the issue S S Ahluwalia (BJP) also said India,
which talks of Manav Dharma, should get rid of the provision
of death penalty and urged Government to do it through the
legislative route.
Gujaral said that "unsuccessful attempts" were made in the
country previously as well to do with death penalty in 1956,
1958, 1961 and 1962.
He pointed that the architect of Indian Constitution B R
Ambedkar had also preferred abolition of death penalty in his
speech at the Constituent Assembly.
PTI
