THOOTHUKUDI: Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Ravichandran’s mother P Rajeswari (70) has urged the State government to pass another resolution to ensure the release of the seven convicts in the case.
"The resolution passed by the previous government has not been fruitful. So, the new cabinet must pass another resolution. At least grant my son parole so that he can spend a few days by my side. I am supposed to undergo cataract operation soon and want to spend some time with my son before that," Rajeswari said.
On Friday, Rajeswari met Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi at her office here and submitted a petition. She requested the parliamentarian to request Chief Minister MK Stalin to grant Ravichandran parole before her operation.
While hearing a petition filed by Rajeshwari on September 2, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court directed the State government to consider granting parole within six weeks.
"My age is catching up with me. I suffer from age-related illness and desperately need my son by my side," Rajeswari told The New Indian Express. She had recently shifted from Arupukottai to her native village of Soorapanayackanpatti in Thoothukudi district.
"As doctors have advised me to undergo this operation, I need Ravichandran’s moral support. My other son, Saravanan, is a government employee in Madurai. Previously, I used to meet Ravichandran at the Madurai Central Prison twice a month. However, I have not been able to meet him for the past two years owing to lockdown restrictions," she said.
Ravichandran was granted parole on six occasions, totaling 42 days, in the past 30 years. All paroles were secured through court orders, including once to attend his father Poyazhi’s funeral.
"The previous government ignored my applications to grant him parole citing various reasons. But they provided the same to other life convicts in the case. The present Chief Minister heeds to people in need, and the High Court has also directed the government to consider my application within six weeks. So, I believe I will see my son soon," she added.
Ravichandran’s advocate Thirumurugan said the Supreme Court had on September 6, 2018 ruled that the State has powers to pardon convicts. Three days after that ruling, the State government passed a resolution to release the seven life convicts. Rajeswari has now sought the support of all political parties to put pressure on the President and the Governor to release the seven convicts on humanitarian basis as they have been serving the sentence for 30 years. Ravichandran was 21 when he was arrested in February, 1992 in connection with the assassination case.