Put Tamil Nadu under President rule if Jayalalithaa pushes for release of Rajiv killers: Subramanian Swamy

NEW DELHI: Stating that any move to release former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's killers would be "illegal", senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy today said that President's rule should be imposed in Tamil Nadu if Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa did not "desist" from proceeding with the decision.

"I demand that the Centre issue a direction under Article 256 of the Constitution to the TN CM to desist from pursuing (the) illegal resolution on Rajiv's killers," Swamy said.

"If she (Jayalalithaa) does not listen, then the state should be brought under President's rule immediately," he added.

Supreme Court today stayed the release of those convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case saying there have been procedural lapses on the part of the Tamil Nadu government in the matter.

After the apex court commuted the death sentences of three of the convicts in the said case, the Tamil Nadu Cabinet had decided to release them and other convicts following due consultations with the Centre.