Representatives of various political parties took part in a protest led by Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) founder Seeman here on Saturday seeking the release of prison inmates across the State who had been in jail for more than 10 years. They should be released on humanitarian grounds, Mr. Seeman said.
Around 250 persons, including women, took part in the protest near the South Taluk Office . Mr. Seeman said that there are about 3,000 life convicts in the State who have spent more than 10 years in jail. “They should be given chance to lead a normal life. It could happen if they are released after reforming them,” he said.
Many prisoners are above 80 years of age and also sick. Mr. Seeman also wanted all special camps to be closed as they had become “torture camps.”
Stating that prisons are under the control of the State government, he added that prison inmates, however, are under the control of the Union government. He made this statement in connection with the Tamil Nadu government’s announcement to release Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan, which was stalled following the intervention of the Union government.
Representatives from Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, Social Democratic Party of India, Popular Front of India and Tamizhaga Makkal Jananayaka Katchi and Islamic Youth Forum against Genocide took part in the protest.
2016 elections
Mr. Seeman who earlier announced that his party would go it alone in the 2016 Assembly elections also announced the names of candidates for 11 Assembly segments. He said that he would announce candidates for the remaining 223 seats in a month – starting with the next list on the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Kamaraj on July 15.
