Randeep Surjewala
Congress party on Monday attacked the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to recommend to the Governor the release of all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
“Will BJP now with help of friend AIADMK and their appointed governor release terrorists just because they murdered former PM Rajiv Gandhi and others along with him?” ANI quoted Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, as saying.
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Tamil Nadu government on Sunday recommended to the state Governor Banwarilal Purohit release of seven convicts of the case.
“Tamil Nadu cabinet recommends release of 7 convicts of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The recommendation will be sent to the TN governor immediately,” ANI quoted D Jayakumar, a minister in AIADMK government, as saying after the state cabinet meeting in Chennai.
The move comes days after the Supreme Court asked the Tamil Nadu Governor to consider the mercy petition of Perarivalan seeking remission or pardon under Article 161 of the Constitution, reported PTI.
Though the SC had asked the Governor to consider the plea of Perarivalan, the state government decided to recommend setting free all others also (Nalini Sriharan, Murugan alias Sriharan, Robert Payas, Ravichandran, Santhan and Jayakumar).
On May 21, 1991, former PM Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at Sriperumbudur by an LTTE woman suicide bomber, Dhanu, at an election rally. Fourteen others, including Dhanu herself, were also killed.
Commenting on the entire development, former President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is on a visit to India, said, reported ANI, "It is up to the Indian government to decide on it. We have punished them...I don't think I must comment on that because it is a legal matter."
