Congress leader E.V.K.S. Elangovan has opposed any move to release Nalini Sriharan, convicted for her role in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
“Releasing Nalini will amount to supporting terrorism, terrorist organisations and the ideology of violence,” he said while addressing an ‘Anti-violence and anti-terrorism’ conference organised here on Sunday by the Legal and Human Rights Cell of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee.
“What sort of a message is the State government trying to convey to the world by pardoning Nalini, that too at a time when governments world over are taking strict action against terrorists,” he asked.
“Nalini is no ordinary accused wanted for a petty offence or minor crime; nor is she just an individual. She represents a ruthless terrorist organisation and had been found guilty for hatching the plot and playing a role to assassinate this country’s leader,” he said.
The former Union Minister said that if the government was to go ahead and release her, it would send a very wrong signal, he said.
Referring to the repeated attacks on former Congress MP S.K. Kharventhan’s house in Dharapuram and his house in Chennai recently, Mr. Elangovan wanted the Chief Minister to take stringent action against those responsible.
Mr. Kharventhan and R.M. Palanichamy, MLA, also spoke.
