1.5.2008
By M Rama Rao, India Editor, Asian Tribune, New Delhi
Amidst
mounting demands for Delhi's intervention in the Sri Lankan
imbroglio from Manmohan Singh government allies like the
Communist Party and the Dravidian DMK party, the lone
surviving assassin of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi
wants freedom from jail in Vellore where she has spent
the past 18 – years in a high security cell.Nalini
Sriharan has been in the news for the past one month because
of a 'purely personal' visit from Rajiv's daughter Priyanka
Gandhi Vadra, whom the Congress faithful see as leader
material though she has been keeping off political circuit.
Nalini
moved the Madras High Court through her lawyer Duraimurugan.
Her writ makes two points. One she has had a 'blemishless'
good conduct in the jail where she has been lodged as
a life convict. Second 18- years is a long stint for a
life convict. Indian government and also courts generally
provide a reprieve to convicts with good conduct on occasions
like Independence Day and Republic Day, both national
days.
Nalini
has been in the news for the past one month because of
a 'purely personal' visit from Rajiv's daughter Priyanka
Gandhi Vadra, whom the Congress faithful see as leader
material though she has been keeping off political circuit.
Why
Priyanka met Nalini remains a mystery but the official
versions say the Gandhi daughter wanted to know why her
father was assassinated. Other unconfirmed reports which
are not contradicted by the Gandhis maintain that Priyanka
wanted to convey to Nalini and her cohorts that no more
harm should be done to the Gandhi family. Her brother
Rahul is in the thick of politics and is being hailed
as the Crown Prince as he is going around the country
on 'Discovery of India' mission. Mother Sonia Gandhi is
the anchor for the Manmohan Singh government in her capacity
as the chairperson of the ruling alliance and head of
the Congress party.
The
Priyanka-Nalini meeting took place with the clearance
at the highest level. Priyanka visit to Vellore on March
19 was a hush-hush affair with the provincial government
of Muthavel Karunanidhi known as a LTTE sympathiser kept
in dark.
The
meeting came to light a month later in April as a scoop
in the Times of India, a respected and premier national
English daily known for its proximity to the establishment.
After
the 'news broke out', Priyanka said in a statement that
she had met Nalini Sriharan to come to 'terms with her
father's death'. She went on to say: "It was a purely
personal visit that I undertook completely on my own initiative.
I would be deeply grateful if this could be respected.
I do not believe in anger, hatred and violence and I refuse
to allow it any power over my life. Meeting Nalini was
my way of coming to peace with the violence and loss that
I have experienced."
Her
statement remains unconvincing though. For several reasons.
She is silent on why she waited for 18-long years for
this encounter. More so since her mother Sonia Gandhi
has intervened in Nalini's case and got her capital punishment
commuted to life term. Also unconvincing because Nalini,
according to her own admission, has been in regular correspondence
with the Gandhis, exchanging periodical messages of good
wishes.
Nalini
described her meeting with Priyanka as singularly most
emotional encounter that she had experienced.
The
unfolding political developments in Chennai and the orchestrated
pressure on Delhi for a ' friendly' intervention, which
is an euphemism for a 'honorable bail out' for the beleaguered
Wanni Tigers can be expected to keep Nalini Sriharan very
much in the news.
Courtesy - Asian
Tribune