Rajiv assassination: DMK slams AIADMK for delay in decision on convict’s plea

The Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ( DMK) on Friday hit out at Tamil Nadu’s ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for the delay in the decision over the remission plea of AG Perarivalan, who is serving a life sentence for his role in former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in May 1991.

“There will be a solution only if [DMK leader] Stalin becomes the chief minister. These people [AIADMK] are not courageous,” said DMK leader R S Bharathy.

Chief minister Edapaddi Palaniswami met Governor Banwarilal Purohit on January 29 with a petition reiterating the state government’s recommendation for the release of all seven convicts in the case. The recommendation was sent first in 2018 after the state Cabinet unanimously passed a resolution in this regard.

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Palaniswami on Thursday told the state assembly that Purohit will make a favourable decision soon and blamed the DMK for the delay. “We have consistently urged the Governor to decide favourably whenever we had the opportunity to meet him,” said Palaniswami.

Perarivalan’s petition has been pending with the Governor since December 2015. He moved the Supreme Court in 2016 for an early decision on the plea. On January 21, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Purohit, orally informed the court that the Governor will decide on Perarivalan’s petition within three to four days. The court’s short order later said four weeks, which was altered to a week the following day.

But an affidavit submitted in the Supreme Court said that Purohit recorded on January 25 that the President is the “appropriate competent authority to deal” with the request.