The demand for the release of A.G. Perarivalan, one of the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case has gained some chorus with some prominent actors and directors coming out and voicing their support.
Actor Vijay Sethupathi who recently backed out from doing the biopic of Sri Lankan cricketer Muthiah Muralitharan, in a video message, called for the release of the terrorist responsible for killing India’s former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Vijay Sethupathi in a video said that the Governor should take into cognizance the judgement of the Supreme Court and release Perarivalan.
“…[This is] Arputhammal’s 29 years struggle.. We are asking for the freedom for someone who is innocent.. Please respect the Supreme Court judgement and release Perarivalan ‘Anna’ soon.. Thank you thank you..”, Vijay Sethupathi said.
Director Pa. Ranjith who made Kabali and Kaala tweeted “It is injustice to prevent his release for political reasons, despite the Courts having cleared the way #ReleasePerarivalan”.
சட்டம் தன் வாசலைத் திறந்த பின்னும் அரசியல் காரணங்களால் விடுதலையை மறுப்பது அநீதி.#ReleasePerarivalan
— pa.ranjith (@beemji) November 20, 2020
National Award winning film director Vetrimaaran said that the officer who recorded Perarivalan’s confession had accepted that he made a mistake and that Perarivalan was innocent.
“All political parties of Tamil Nadu have asked for Perarivalan’s release. The Tamil Nadu government has passed a resolution. Supreme Court has said that MDMA probe should not have any impact on the Governor’s decision to pardon. Even after this, the Governor should without delay sign in the clemency petition. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister exert pressure on the Governor to fulfil the resolution passed. The fact that an innocent has been punished for 30 years has put a blackmark on India and the Indian judiciary.
Claiming to speak on behalf of all Tamils, he said “Perarivalan liberation is the wish of all Tamils”.
பேரறிவாளன் விடுதலை ஒட்டுமொத்த தமிழர்களின் விருப்பம் – இயக்குனர் வெற்றிமாறன்#ReleasePerarivalan #Perarivalan #VetriMaran pic.twitter.com/l78isbvOUB
— Jaya Plus (@jayapluschannel) November 20, 2020
Actor Arya in a tweet said that it was not just Perarivalan who was suffering incarceration for over quarter a century but also his mother.
நீதி, நியாயம், சட்டம், தர்மம் அத்தனையையும் தாண்டி கால் நூற்றாண்டு கடந்தும் கண்ணீரோடு போராடும் ஒரு தாயின் தவிப்பைப் பாருங்கள்… சிறை தண்டனையில் அல்லாடுவது பேரறிவாளன் மட்டும் அல்ல, தாய் அற்புதம் அம்மாளும்தான். #ReleasePerarivalan pic.twitter.com/bLEuDbx5sy
— Arya (@arya_offl) November 20, 2020
Prakash Raj tweeting the video of the officer’s interview said “justice delayed is justice denied”.
JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED..If we had post conviction exoneration laws, Perarivalan would have been absolved legally after this officer’s interview. Sadly, we still rely on the existing laws for his release. #ReleasePerarivalan pic.twitter.com/JPa1crRBgF
— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) November 20, 2020
Film directors Karthik Subbaraj, Lokesh Kanakaraj too tweeted asking for the release of Perarivalan.
Perarivalan was convicted by the special TADA court in 1991 for having provided two 9-volt batteries which were used in the bomb that killed Rajiv Gandhi on May 21st by an LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) suicide bomber during an election rally in Sriperumbudur, in the outskirts of Chennai.