Reacting to SC order on the release of the assassins of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel said that the order of the Supreme Court has hurt the sentiments of crores of people.
"The convicts were released before time. Congress national spokesperson Jairam Ramesh also gave a statement upon it should not have happened," Congress leader and Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said.
He further added that the SC's order has hurt the sentiments of crores of Congress workers and the country persons.
Congress MP K C Venugopal also reacted to the top court's verdict and questioned the Centre for its silence on the release of the culprits.
"There shouldn't be any sympathy with terrorists. Modi government's reprehensible silence on the release of the culprits of Rajivji's assassins is a compromise with the terrorist act. And those who applaud the release of those terrorists are, indeed, indirectly emboldening them," Congress MP K C Venugopal tweeted.
The assassins of Rajiv Gandhi, who were serving life sentence terms, were set free by the top court on Friday on the grounds of having good conduct in jail.
Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991, at Sriperumbudur Tamil Nadu by a woman suicide bomber of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) group during a public rally.
The seven convicts were sentenced to death for their role in the killing. Their names included Nalini Sriharan, RP Ravichandran, Jayakumar, Santhan, Murugan, Robert Payas, and AG Perarivalan.
In the year 2000, Nalini Sriharan's sentence was reduced to a life term. Later in the year 2014, the sentence of the other six convicts was also reduced, and during the same year, the then chief minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalitha recommended the release of all the seven convicts in the case.
In May this year, one of the seven convicts, AG Perarivalan was released after spending 31 years in jail.
Soon after the apex court gave its order to release these convicts, it has been criticized by political leaders and the Congress called the verdict "totally unacceptable and completely erroneous."
Congress General Secretary in incharge of Communications Jairam Ramesh said that the party criticizes it clearly and finds it wholly untenable.
"The decision of the Supreme Court to free the remaining killers of former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi is totally unacceptable and completely erroneous. The Congress Party criticizes it clearly and finds it wholly untenable," the Congress MP said on Friday.
He further said, "it is most unfortunate that the Supreme Court has not acted in consonance with the spirit of India on this issue."
Meanwhile, Congress MP from Tamil Nadu Manickam Tagore also took a swipe at the central government on the issue and questioned if Prime Minister Narendra Modi supported the three Sri Lankan accused.
Congress MP from Tamil Nadu Manickam Tagore took to Twitter and wrote, "Why there was no Union government advocates present today when the case came up? Whether [?]@narendramodi[?] supports the three Srilankans crime? What about the national security implications Mr Modi? How can you close your eyes and help terrorists?"
However, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to release six convicts including Nalini Sriharan of the assassination case of the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. "I welcome the Supreme Court Verdict on the release of six persons," he said on Friday.
Stalin lauded the apex court's verdict and said, "It is a historic blow to the theory of democracy."
"This judgment of the Supreme Court is proof that the decisions and decisions of the government elected by the people should not be shelved by the governors in the appointed positions," he said adding that being in the Opposition and in Government, DMK has always given voice for the release of these people while in government.
( With inputs from ANI )
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