Mangalore: Poojary Asks Centre to Question Madras High Court Stay
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Aug 31: Former union minister, Janardhan Poojary, has urged the centre to question the eight-week stay granted by Madras High Court against the execution of death sentences awarded to three persons for assassinating former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, in Supreme Court. He was addressing a press conference held in the city on Tuesday August 30.
Poojary noted that the Supreme Court had confirmed the death sentence as pronounced by the lower courts. After 11 long years, the President had recently turned down their clemency petition. In spite of these developments which took long time, it is unfortunate that Tamil Nadu assembly passed an unanimous resolution seeking clemency for the accused, and Madras High Court too intervened and granted a stay against the execution of their death sentences, he said.
“The central government, which delayed the execution of the court order to hang the accused till their death, should at least learn its lessons now. This situation would never have occurred if they were put to gallows without delay. Everyone who betrays the country, including Afzal Guru and Kasab, should be hanged without further delay,” he urged.
Poojary noted that the accused have already lived for 20 additional years, by way of court procedures, appeals, clemency petition, etc. He said it would be wrong to prolong the death sentence by taking shelter under legal procedures, and felt that Tamil Nadu assembly, in supporting the convicts, has set up a bad precedent. This resolution in affect, has questioned the decisions of the Supreme Court and the President, he analyzed.
Taking umbrage at the initiative undertaken by the assembly to protect terrorists and betrayers, which spells doom for the country, he asked the centre to view this development in all seriousness.
Congress leaders, Suresh Ballal, Harikrishna Bantwal, and Arun Coelho, were present at the press conference.