TN political parties welcome acquittal of Rajiv case convicts

CHENNAI: Political parties in Tamil Nadu on Friday welcomed the acquittal of six Rajiv convicts by the Supreme Court.

"Though it's a delayed judgment it will make people, who have fought for their release, happy. I thank advocates and human rights activists who have fought for their acquittal. The Governor could have accepted the proposal of the State government and could have released them much earlier but left them at the hands of the Supreme Court,” said VCK President Thol Thirumavalavan, while addressing the media.

Replying to a question of whether one of the acquitted persons Murugan, who originally hails from Sri Lanka, will be sent back to the island nation, he replied that people like Murugan should be allowed freely and should not be confined to Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps. The State government should also take steps to provide livelihood for them since they were in prison for more than 30 years.

Welcoming the acquittal, PMK founder S Ramadoss also said that if the Governor had accepted back in 2018 they would have been released four years back and opined that time frame should be fixed for Governors accepting the proposal of the state cabinet.

Naam Tamilar Katchi Chief Seeman also welcomed the Supreme Court verdict and thanked those who were part of the legal battle to free the six convicts.

MDMK founder Vaiko, while welcoming the judgment, said that in the Rajiv assassination case there was no need to discuss the acquittal with the union government after the State government had decided to free them and through the judgment the Supreme Court has put an end to the drama enacted by the successive Governors of Tamil Nadu and the Union government.