Rajiv Gandhi assassination: Views of Gandhis, party differ, says Congress; Tamil Nadu parties hail SC order

Rajiv Gandhi assassination: The Congress on Friday termed “totally unacceptable” and “completely erroneous” the Supreme Court’s decision to release six convicts serving life sentence in the case.

The Congress on Friday termed “totally unacceptable” and “completely erroneous” the Supreme Court’s decision to release six convicts serving life sentence in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, saying it “does not agree” with the Gandhi family’s view on the matter.

People visit a memorial of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur. (AFP)

The Congress’s remarks came even as its ally and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu welcomed the top court’s order.

In a statement, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the top court’s decision to free the remaining killers is “totally unacceptable”. “The Congress party criticises it clearly and finds it wholly untenable. It is most unfortunate that the Supreme Court has not acted in consonance with the spirit of India on this issue,” he said.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the decision has shocked the nation’s conscience and invited serious concern and criticism from all sides of the political spectrum. The Congress intends to take “all available remedies, be it review or any other form of legal redress”, he told reporters at the AICC headquarters in Delhi.

Asked about statements of forgiveness by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the past, Singhvi said the party’s stance on the matter has been the same despite the personal views of the Gandhi family and called it an “institutional issue”.

The party disagrees with Sonia, whose appeal helped in the commutation of the death sentence of convict Nalini Sriharan, he said.

“It is a matter, for example, where my views are the same as that of the central government. So this is not politics. Certainly, Sonia Gandhi above all is entitled to her personal views but with greatest respect, the party does not agree with that view, has never agreed with that view and has made its view consistently clear and we stand by that view because according to us, the sovereignty, integrity and identity of the nation is involved in a prime minister”s assassination, sitting or former,” Singhvi said.

Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka had earlier said they have “completely forgiven” the killers of Rajiv Gandhi.

When asked if the Congress also disagreed with the DMK on the matter, Singhvi said if the party is disagreeing with its own former chief, will it agree with an ally.

“We intend to take all remedies available to us, be it review or any other form of legal redress, because we believe we owe it to the people of this country, to the Supreme Court and to the legacy which it has built,” he asserted.

The Supreme Court order has sent a message to the world that India extends to these killers such benefits forgetting the nature of their crime, Singhvi said.

“How will the apex court in the future deal with similar claims by several other similarly placed or even seriously placed accused... The Supreme Court cannot be selective when applying such standards,” he said.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala sought to know whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government support the release of terrorists and will they get the court verdict reviewed.

“Does PM Modi & govt support the release of terrorists, who assassinated India’s PM? Isn’t this because Modi Govt utterly failed to present its case to SC? Is Modi Govt suffering from petty political partisanship on terrorism? Will PM Modi get the court verdict reviewed?” he tweeted.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu hailed the court’s move. Chief minister and DMK president MK Stalin said his party was always in favour of the convicts’ release.

“We argued in favour of state’s rights in Perarivalan’s case and ensured his release in May this year,” Stalin said in a two-page statement, adding that it was a legal struggle led by the DMK government after assuming office in 2021.

“That was the first victory for us. The same way, we took efforts to secure the release of the remaining six persons and we have got a favourable verdict today.”

Stalin also pointed to a part in the verdict which said the governor has to act on the decision of the state cabinet.

“The Supreme Court’s verdict is proof that governors who are appointed to the post cannot sit on decisions taken by governments elected democratically by the people. This judgment is also a historic foreword to democratic principles,” he said.

Stalin’s remarks on the governor’s role came against the backdrop of an ongoing tussle with governor RN Ravi. The DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance had recently written to President Droupadi Murmu, saying he was unfit to hold office.

“The governor could have released the seven persons on his own by accepting the Cabinet resolution. I think the issue was handled lightly, so that the Supreme Court takes a decision, and not the governor or the Union government,” said Thol Thirumavalavan, chief of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, an ally of the DMK.

The Tamil Nadu government, then led by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), had recommended early release of the convicts to then governor Banwarilal Purohit in 2018. Last year, after coming to power, Stalin wrote to the President on the same.

The AIADMK also took credit for the developments.

Expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam tweeted that this was a result of the efforts led by late former chief minister J Jaylalalithaa.

The state Bharatiya Janata Party did not react to the verdict.