New Delhi: After many of its leaders including Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Rajeev Shukla criticised Tamil Nadu government for its decision to free the assassins of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the All India Congress Committee on Wednesday issued a formal statement condemning the state's move.
The statement read, "The Congress Party condemns the decision of the Tamil Nadu cabinet to release the seven convicts charged of the assassination of former Prime Minster Shri Rajiv Gandhi and 17 other individuals by executing a barbaric and gruesome terrorist bombing act."
AICC General Secretary Ajay Maken rebuked the decision saying that it would set a precedent for other states to take decisions beyond the law.
Indicating that the Tamil Nadu Assembly's decision to free the convicts was a politically motivated one, Maken said in the statement, "It would by all means only serve as a precedent for other Chief Ministers constitutional functionaries to take decisions beyond the law- decisions that are politically motivated and irresponsible."
Party Vice President and Rajiv Gandhi's son Rahul Gandhi had earlier in the day expressed displeasure with the state. He had said, "PM of the country was killed, I am sad that the killers are being released."
RPN Singh, MoS for Home reacted to the incident saying that it could raise serious questions on security of a common man. "It is sad that assassins of a PM are being freed. I cannot comment until we receive a letter from the state government. Gandhi family has already said that they are against death penalty. TN Government has talked on legal terms. But if terrorists and assassins are let free, it will raise questions on what security are we providing to the common man," he said.
It seems that the Tamil Nadu government's decision has not gone down well with principal Opposition, BJP too. Party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted, "Attacking Parliament or brutal killing of a former PM are terror attacks against India. Institutions getting soft on terror is worrisome."
The Tamil Nadu government had sprung a surprise earlier in the day by announcing its decision to release all the seven convicts of Rajiv Gandhi.
This comes a day after the Supreme Court commuted the death penalty of the convicts to life imprisonment citing delay in deciding their mercy plea.
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