Cong slams TN govt for move to release Rajiv's killers

Congress on Monday slammed Tamil Nadu government's decision to recommend to the Governor to release all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case despite Congress President Rahul Gandhi declaring that he had no enmity towards them.

The Congress also trained its guns at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing them of shielding terrorism and terrorists.

“Are we going to release assassins of the former prime minister, innocent civilians and policemen accused of terrorism,” Randeep Singh Surjewala, in-charge of the AICC Communication Department asked at a press conference here.

He noted that former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the current Congress President Rahul and his sister Priyanka have made it clear that they have no enmity towards the assassins of Rajiv Gandhi.

“Bereft of who says what, I as a citizen and as a Congressman, we are of a clear opinion that the State cannot derelict its duty of punishing terrorists and terrorism,” Surjewala said.

He hit out at the BJP for playing politics over the assassins of Rajiv Gandhi who have never been pardoned.

“Is it not true that BJP’s ally AIADMK and BJP appointed Governor are proceeding to recommend, reprieve, remission and release of assassins and terrorists? Is that the policy of the State now,” the Congress spokesman asked.

Priyanaka Vadra had Nalini Sriharan, one of the conspirators in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, in March 2008.

Rahul too had recently said he had forgiven LTTE chief V Prabhakaran who had ordered the assassination of his father Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.