Chennai: Naam Tamizhar Katchi founder leader Seeman has triggered a row after he 'justified' the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in his campaign speech for NTK candidate K Kandasamy in Vikravandi. In the speech Seeman justified the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, who was killed by an LTTE suicide bomber on May 21, 1991 at nearby Sriperumbudur.
Seeking action against Seeman, state Congress President KS Alagiri said "Tamils will never forget Seeman for advocating an organization that killed the former Prime Minister." His comment comes at a time when both the Tamil Nadu Government and other Tamil groups are requesting the TN Governor to release the seven convicts of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case who are serving their sentence for the last 28 years.
Alagiri added that Seeman's speech is disrupting the public peace and he should be booked with sedition. “Rajiv Gandhi was the one who took steps to eradicate the sufferings the Tamils faced in Sri Lanka for 40 years. The former PM sent the peace-keeping force to save Tamils, but LTTE killed more than 2,000 Indian soldiers and Seeman is trying to hide their cowardly act. There can be no bigger anti-national than Seeman, the election commission should immediately suspend Naam Tamilar’s recognition as a political party," the Congress leader said
Later, based on the complaint from Villupuram Congress President Ramesh, the police booked Seeman under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Unfazed by the criticism of Congress leaders, Seeman said he will not take back his comments on Rajiv Gandhi. Speaking to reporters at the Chennai airport, he said “Congress didn’t raise any objection when certain people glorified Godse for killing Gandhi. They have been repeatedly claiming that LTTE was responsible for Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination and made all the International committees to blacklist our representatives. Now they are condemning me for saying that we killed Rajiv Gandhi, I have been telling this for the past 25 years. Even if I say we didn’t kill Rajiv Gandhi are you going to believe us?" asked Seeman.
Seeman blamed both Congress and DMK for the death of Tamils in Sri Lanka during the war in 2009. "Congress was in power at the center and DMK was ruling in Tamil Nadu when thousands of innocent Tamils got killed in Sri Lanka during the war,” he added.
