Jaya bid to pass the buck, says MK

CHENNAI: DMK chief M Karunanidhi has claimed that it was his Cabinet’s decision in 2000 to send the mercy petition of Perarivalan, Santhan and Murugan to the President that has indirectly paved the way for Tuesday’s Madras High Court order.  “While introducing the resolution in the House, Jayalalithaa herself pointed out that the mercy petition that the President’s office has been sitting on for the past 11 years was in fact passed by the DMK cabinet in 2000. She had opposed clemency to these three even as late as 2008,” said Karunanidhi in a letter.The veteran leader also noted that Rashtrapati Bhavan’s 11-year delay in making a decision had been citied by the Madras High Court when it stayed the execution of the trio by eight weeks.Karunanidhi criticised the CM  of trying to absolve herself from controversies surrounding the issue by saying Jayalalithaa did not hold the authority to push for clemency for Rajiv Gandhi assassination convicts.