I have full faith in Amma: Convicts mom

CHENNAI: While refusing to comment on the government’s stand on seeking dismissal of petitions of three Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts for commutation of death sentence, in the Madras High Court on Saturday, Arputham Ammal, mother of Perarivalan, one of three accused in the case, said that she had “full faith” in Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa that she would do her part in saving her son escape the gallows.Speaking at a press conference here on Saturday, Arputham Ammal said that she was confident that the Chief Minister “will understand that they are innocents” and extend help “like she had done on previous occasions (through a resolution in the Assembly).”Elaborating on the convention being organised by the People’s Movement Against Genocide in Sri Lanka in Coimbatore on November 6, President of the Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, Kolatur Mani, said that the meet, apart from seeking justice for the victims of the genocide staged during the final stages of the war in 2009, will also press for speedy rehabilitation and relief for the Tamils in the island nation. A resolution demanding abolition of death penalty in general and commuting the death sentence of Rajiv Gandhi assassins in particular would be adopted, he said.Leaders of various political parties, including MDMK general secretary Vaiko and founder of PMK S. Ramadoss have consented to participate, he said. Meanwhile, calling for the abolishing of capital punishment in the country, members of various women organisations, hailing from different districts of the State, under the aegis of Sengodi Pengal Poratta Kuzhu, staged a demonstration in front of the Memorial Hall here.The organisations said that the Centre and the state governments were displaying “usual indifference”, with regard to the petition filed in the High Court . While the Centre has reiterated its stand, the state government was trying to wash its hands off the issue, they said.They also demanded that the Union government show urgency in expediting the rehabilitation of Tamils who had been affected in the 30-year civil war in Sri Lanka.