Murugan and Nalini’s daughter seeks forgiveness from Rahul Gandhi

Harithra Sriharan, the daughter of Murugan and Nalini, the convicted killer of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, has sought forgiveness from Rahul Gandhi.

“I’m really sorry for Rahul Gandhi. My parents have regretted enough, they deserve forgiveness. I can understand losing someone you love,” Harithra said in an interview with NDTV.

Rajiv Gandhi was killed in an election rally at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, in 1991 when a woman suicide bomber of LTTE had greeted him with a sandalwood garland and detonated an RDX explosive-laden belt tucked below her dress.

“I have suffered the same punishment.  I deserve to be with my parents. Though I have parents who are alive, I have never had them. Even if they had done the crime they’ve suffered enough,” she said.  

Harithra also shown her gratitude towards Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for her decision to release her parents after 23 years.

“Jayalalithaa Amma gave me the best present in the world. It means the world to me. I thank a millions times, of course words aren’t enough to describe how thankful I am.”

“She (Jayalalithaa) made it possible. I can’t express how happy I am. I always knew one day my parents would walk free. They are innocent,” she added.

Harithra, now lives in UK and studying Bio Medicine also thanked Sonia Gandhi.

“I admire Sonia Gandhi. She had all reasons to be angry but she forgave my mother. I will never forget Sonia Gandhi”.

Reacting to Tamil Nadu government’s decision of releasing his father’s killers, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said yesterday that he was sad after hearing this move.

“Rajiv Gandhi’s killers are being set free, I am saddened by this. I am personally against the death penalty but this is not about my father. If a Prime Minister’s killers are being released, what kind of justice should the common man expect?” Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday.

Murugan and his wife Nalini Sriharan along with five other were arrested and convicted in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. They were given death sentence in 1999, however, in 2000, Sonia Gandhi granted mercy to Nalini. Harithra was born in Vellore jail and brought up there for two years.

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