Senior Congress leader and Tiruchi MP Su. Thirunavukkarasar on Thursday condemned the celebrations over the release of A.G. Perarivalan, a life convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
“Celebrating the release of Perarivalan like a festival was “condemnable”, Mr. Thirunavukkarsar told reporters in Tiruchi, while participating in an agitation organised by the Congress, opposing the release.
Perarivalan had not gone to jail as a “tyagi” but as a convict and had come out as a result of certain legal circumstances, he said, adding that people had not forgotten the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. The assassination of the former Prime Minister continues to remain a scar in the minds of people. Not every one had accepted the verdict, he said.
Replying to a query that the DMK and the AIADMK were both taking credit for the release of Perarivalan and celebrating it, Mr. Thirunavukkarasar said this issue was not something to be celebrated. The Supreme Court had ordered the release of Perarivalan, but it had not said he was innocent. Rajiv Gandhi was not only a national leader but was one among the world leaders. Along with him, 15 others were killed and around 40 to 45 others were injured. They too had families, he said.
Citing certain shortcomings in the actions of the Tamil Nadu Governor and the Central government, the court had released Perarivalan by invoking its extraordinary powers. The release of Perarivalan may be within the ambit of the Supreme Court but not ‘dharma’, Mr. Thirunavukkarasar he said.
Earlier, Mr. Thirunavukkarasar and a section of the Congress members staged a protest opposing the release of Perarivalan, with their mouths tied with a white cloth. Similar agitations were held in Ariyalur, Pudukottai and Perambalur districts, heeding the State-wide call given by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K.S. Alagiri.
