Seeman’s comments on Rajiv assassination stokes row

The coordinator of a Tamil nationalist outfit, Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK), has kicked up a major political storm by justifying the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi by the now defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Seeman, a former actor and a self-proclaimed supporter of the LTTE who calls its slain leader Velupillai Prabhakaran his leader, also said that history would be “rewritten” as to how the former prime minister “was killed and buried in the land of Tamils” for his “grave mistake” of sending the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka in the 1980s.

His comments drew sharp criticism from Congress leaders, who demanded derecognition of NTK and slapping of cases against Seeman for his “anti-national” comments.

The actor-politician made the controversial remarks at a rally in Vikravandi, where by-elections are due on October 21.

Seeman has been calling himself a “proud son” of Mother Tamil and is at the forefront of opposing the entry of actors like Rajinikanth, who hails from Karnataka, into politics since they are “outsiders.”

“Seeman be booked for sedition and the Election Commission should cancel his party's recognition,” TNCC chief K S Alagiri said.

A case was registered against Seeman in Villupuram district, but the politician looked unfazed as he categorically refused to take back his statement.

“I never said anything wrong. The government has been saying for long that LTTE killed Rajiv Gandhi and why so much outrage when I just say that. I know how to face the cases that are filed,” Seeman said.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 in Sriperumbudur near here when he was attending a political rally.