Picture : @CMOTamilNadu/Twitter
Soon after the Supreme Court ordered his release in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, for which he had been convicted, AG Perarivalan, his mother Arputhammal and other members of their family met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in Chennai and thanked him for his and party’s steady support to their cause.
Earlier, Invoking its extraordinary power under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court ordered the release of A G Perarivalan, who has served over 30 years in jail in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
AG Perarivalan, his mother Arputhammal and other members of their family meet Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin in Chennai.
Supreme Court ordered the release of Perarivalan today. He is one of the convicts serving life imprisonment in connection with ex-PM Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. pic.twitter.com/uNk6xfaEW2
— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2022
Congress party meanwhile has expressed pain and disappointment over the release of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict A G Perarivalan, and slammed the government for creating “a situation” in the court that the killer of a former prime minister is released for “petty and cheap politics”.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said today there is a sorrow and fury not only in every Congress worker over the development, but in every citizen who believes in India and Indianness.
PM Modi and his govt need to answer today, is this your duplicity and doublespeak on terrorism? Are you going to be complicit in release of terrorists & murderers of the former PM of this country by silence?: Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told ANI
“A terrorist is a terrorist and should be treated as one. Today, we are deeply pained and disappointed at the decision of the Supreme Court ordering the release of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassin,” he said.
It is condemnable and very unfortunate that the assassin of a former prime minister has been released, he said. “Today is a sad day for the country. There is a sorrow and fury not only in every Congress worker, but in every Indian who believes in India and Indianness, who believes in fighting against extremism and every force that challenges the sovereignty and integrity of India,” he told reporters.
He also wondered if the lakhs of convicts facing life terms should be freed. This is not a question about Rajiv Gandhi, but about a prime minister who was killed, he said, adding the soul of every person fighting against terrorism has been hurt.
“Rajivji had sacrificed his life for the country, not for the Congress. And if today’s government creates a situation in the court to get his killers released for their petty and cheap politics, then it is very unfortunate and it is condemnable. “We condemn this in the strongest possible way. All Indians must see what kind of governments are in power today and what is their attitude towards extremism is,” he said.
Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed by a suicide bomber of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam at an election meeting in Tamil Nadu’s Sriperumbudur in 1991.
Perarivalan was charged with procuring batteries for the bomb used in Gandhi’s assassination.
He was 19 years old when he was arrested.
