Tamil Nadu: Blast victims’ kin plan no-release campaign

CHENNAI: Family members of victims, who had lost their limbs and lives in the suicide bomb attack that killed former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, have decided to launch a statewide campaign against the Tamil Nadu government’s move to release seven life convicts in the assassination case.

The campaign titled ‘journey seeking justice’ will begin in the next 10 days, said Kavignar Jothiramalingam, who has been coordinating with the families. Eighteen people, including the former PM and suicide bomber Dhanu, were killed in the bomb blast carried out by the LTTE at Sriperumbudur near Chennai on May 21, 1991.

“Five or six of the families of the victims will take up the campaign. They will visit all the district headquarters to voice their concern,” Jothiramalingam told TOI.

SALEM-BASED NGO IS SUPPORTING CAMPAIGN

‘People who died in blast are real victims’

Jothiramalingam told TOI, “They will also reach out to people through media.”

Salem-based NGO Desiya Makkal Iyyakkam is supporting the campaign.

“There has been a campaign in support of the convicts in the assassination case. They have been portrayed as innocents and victims, while our people who died are the real victims,” said

Abbash, son of Samdhani Begum, who was among those killed in the blast. Begum, a widow, was the president of South Chengalpet Mahila Congress.

“We will expose the wrong campaigns carried out by the convicts’ families and their supporters,” said Abbash.

Convicts Perarivalan, V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santham, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, P Ravichandaran and Nalini have been in jail for more than 25 years.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991, at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by a woman suicide bomber, identified as Dhanu, at an election rally.

Fourteen others, including Dhanu herself, were also killed.

This was perhaps the first case of suicide bombing which had claimed the life of a high-profile global leader.

The Supreme Court had on February 18, 2014, commuted the death sentence of three convicts — Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan — citing inordinate delay by the executive in deciding their mercy plea.