Congress slams Jayalalithaa govt’s move

The Congress has slammed Tamil Nadu government over its decision to free former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s killers by calling it as “irresponsible, perverse and populist”.

A day after the Supreme Court commuted death penalty of Rajiv Gandhi killers to life imprisonment, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday has announced that her government will release all seven killers.

“The cabinet has taken a decision to release the three convicts, Perarivalan, Murugan and Santhan, along with those four, Nalini, Robert Pyas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran who are undergoing life sentence. The decision will be conveyed to the Centre for appropriate action. If we don’t get their response in three days, we will release all convicts in accordance with the rights granted under Indian Constitution,” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said in Chennai on Wednesday.

Reacting to the move, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said he was sad over this decision.

“I am sad the killers are being released,” Rahul said adding, “If some person kills the PM and is released then how will a common man get justice. It’s a point to ponder,” Rahul said.

“In this country even the PM does not get justice. This is my heart’s voice. I don’t believe in capital punishment as it won’t bring my father back. But it is not just a matter of my father or the family, it is the matter of the country,” he added.  

“The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to set free all seven convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case is extremely unfortunate,” Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said.

Union minister and Congress Spokesperson, Manish Tiwari hit out at Jayalalithaa and said the decision was against the law.

Meanwhile the centre on Thursday has filed an application in the Supreme Court against the Tamil Nadu government’s move to free seven convicted killers of Rajiv Gandhi.

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