Members of the Tamil Nadu Youth Congress on Friday observed a fast in Chennai against the State government’s decision to release all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The fast organised by general secretary of the youth Congress Naesey Rajesh also wanted justice for the family members of those who were killed along with Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur.

“It is not a simple murder that warrants invocation of the provisions of the CrPC to release the convicts. It is a murder with political implications,” said former Congress MP Peter Alphonse while addressing the party cadre.

He said four of the seven convicts were not Indian citizens and were hardcore members of the LTTE. “Where will you keep them after the release? Are you allowing them to roam free in the State? Will it not pose a threat to the country’s security,” he said.

Mr. Peter Alphonse also wanted to know why should these seven persons be given special treatment when around 4000 people were serving their life term in various prisons in Tamil Nadu.

“Around 100 of them have already completed 20 years in jail and badly need remission as they are suffering from various ailments,” he said.

Former TNCC president E.V.K.S. Elangovan said mercy could be shown only in the case of a murder committed impulsively.

“The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi is a pre-meditated political murder and the assassins had rehearsed their plan so many times before executing it. They do not deserve any sympathy,” he said.

Mr. Elagnoavan, however, said an inquiry into the claim that Perarivalan had no knowledge of the plan to kill Rajiv Gandhi and he only purchased a battery without knowing the designs of the LTTE.

“But the death sentence of Murugan and Santhan who oversaw the murder should not be commuted,” he said.

TNCC president B.S. Gnanadesikan said the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi was no ordinary murder as the conspiracy was hatched in Sri Lanka and 13 LTTE cadres infiltrated into India to kill him.(The Hindu)