Salem: “We wanted the seven to be released and that is why adopted a cabinet resolution and sent it to the Governor. The Governor has to decide,” said Tamilnadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami yesterday assuring that the government was committed to the release of seven Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts.
“We took the decision based on public sentiment, adopted a cabinet resolution and sent it to Governor. We hope he will take action,” added Palaniswami.
He was reacting to the renewed calls from the opposition parties and Tamil groups for the release of the seven people, who are serving life terms, even after the Supreme Court recently disposed of a plea of the kin of those killed in 1991 opposing their release.
The relative of a victim had challenged the State government’s earlier decision in 2014 to release the seven convicts – Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, Jayakumar, Ravichandran, Robert Payas and Nalini.
The Tamilnadu cabinate in 2018 had adopted a resolution recommending the Governor for their release. Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally at Sriperumpudur on 21 May 1991.