Amritsar: Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa took strong exception to India once again favouring death penalty at the United Nations, saying that in practise it has been observing moratorium since the last eight years.
"Thirty nine countries, including India lost another opportunity to have a death-penalty free world when they voted against a UN resolution, introduced every two years at a UN General Assembly committee calling for the abolition of the death penalty," Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh said.
Singh said it was remarkable that cutting across traditional alliances and grouping of nations based on economic interests, a record number of 110 countries backed the resolution, while India, China, USA and some others have opposed.
He said thirty-six countries have abstained.
The Dal Khalsa leader said that it is highly disturbing to note that the otherwise pro-active civil society, failed to build pressure on the government of India before the UN vote regarding the backing of death penalty.
PTI
