Right decision on Nalini

The New Indian Express
First Published : 31 Mar 2010 11:40:00 PM IST
Last Updated : 31 Mar 2010 12:08:25 AM IST

It would be difficult to fault the Tamil Nadu government for its disinclination to release Nalini, who is facing a life sentence for the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. Notwithstanding the preference for leniency shown by Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Vadra’s assertion that she has forgiven her father’s killer, it is extremely unlikely that releasing Nalini will be generally accepted. The reason is that the shock and horror of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination have not diminished despite the passage of years. While Sonia Gandhi must have been motivated by the plight of Nalini’s daughter, who was born in jail and now lives with her grandparents in Sri Lanka, the wider public may be less indulgent in its attitude.

There may be a measure of support, therefore, for Subramanian Swamy’s petition challenging the setting up of an advisory board to consider Nalini’s release. Swamy had also criticised the commutation of her sentence. Now that the board itself has rejected the plea for release, the matter is likely to be buried for some time. Although Nalini’s original death sentence was subsequently reduced to life imprisonment, the interventions of Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka had opened the question of showing her mercy. To many people, however, the reduction of her sentence was a more than adequate gesture.

There are several reasons why a greater show of generosity would be misplaced. One is that there is no certainty how she will behave once she is released although she has expressed a desire to confine herself to social work. Considering that there are vocal pro-LTTE groups in Tamil Nadu, the possibility of some of them using her to advance their cause of Tamil Eelam cannot be ruled out. It has to be remembered that Bhindranwale, who inspired the killers of Indira Gandhi, still has his admirers in Punjab. Although they can be described as belonging to the loony fringe, their subversive potential cannot be ignored.

Terrorism is one of the major scourges of the present times. Battling it not only calls for firm resolve, but also some amount of ruthlessness in dealing with its perpetrators. As an individual, Nalini may deserve sympathy. But any special show of compassion is likely to be seen by the enemies of the state as a sign of weakness.