In a recent development in Chennai, various Muslim organizations, spearheaded by the Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi (MJK), staged a protest outside the Triplicane mosque, advocating for the release of 36 Muslim prisoners. The issue came to the forefront after political parties in the Tamil Nadu Assembly introduced a motion on Tuesday, specifically seeking the release of these prisoners, with 16 of them connected to the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blast.
In response to the motion, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin addressed the concerns by stating that a list of 49 eligible life term prisoners had already been identified. He mentioned that the necessary documents recommending their release had been forwarded to Governor RN Ravi for approval. This statement led to a commotion in the Assembly, with AIADMK MLAs staging a walkout in protest.
Stalin questioned the sudden interest of the AIADMK in the release of Muslim prisoners, alleging that the party had not taken any action during its 10-year tenure in power. BJP state president Annamalai opposed the idea of releasing the Muslim prisoners, citing their involvement in terror activities and asserting that they cannot be treated as ordinary prisoners.
Amidst the political exchanges, Muslim organizations took to the streets, demanding the release of the prisoners. MJK leader Thameemul Ansari urged the government to pass a resolution in the Assembly under Article 161, advocating for the release of the prisoners. He suggested that, until then, the prisoners should be granted leave from prison, drawing a parallel to the case of Perarivalan, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, who was granted leave.
In response to BJP leader Annamalai’s opposition to the prisoners’ release, Thameemul Ansari asserted that the BJP had no right to voice their opinion on the matter. He pointed out a previous case where rape convicts in the Bilkis Bano case were prematurely released by the Gujarat government, stating that the BJP has no moral standing to comment on this issue.
