Chennai, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Tamil Nadu BJP on Monday demanded the immediate cancellation of 60-day parole granted to five life convicts in the 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blasts case, accusing the TVK government of showing selective leniency towards those convicted of terrorism.
State BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said the decision undermined justice for the victims and sent a disturbing message about the government’s approach to a crime that killed 58 people and injured more than 250.
In a post on X, Thirupathy condemned the decision, saying personal circumstances could not outweigh the gravity of one of the deadliest attacks in Tamil Nadu’s history. Extended parole for those involved in the bombings, he argued, insulted the victims and betrayed their families.
The five convicts — Mohammed Ansari, Mohammed Ali, Monappa alias Mohammed Hassan, Mohammed Ajam and Nawab Khan — are lodged in Coimbatore Central Prison. They were granted parole following a petition citing personal reasons and health conditions.
According to an official, the men have spent more than 25 years in prison and had previously been granted parole. That relief was briefly revoked during the Assembly elections, the official said.
The coordinated explosions struck Coimbatore on February 14, 1998, ahead of an election rally to be addressed by then Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani. The attack, carried out by the banned Al-Umma organisation, caused extensive casualties and remains a deeply painful episode in the city’s history.
Thirupathy said the Supreme Court had described the crime as “atrocious” while refusing bail to the convicts. Citing media reports about the parole orders, he demanded their immediate withdrawal and opposed further concessions to those convicted in the case.
The BJP spokesperson maintained that the victims’ memory and public security should guide the government’s decisions. He alleged that granting such relief suggested that people who attacked society could nevertheless expect leniency.
“Justice for the victims of Coimbatore cannot be traded for political calculations,” he said, adding that the convicts must serve their full sentences.
The decision also drew a response from TVK legislator V M S Mustafa, who thanked Chief Minister Vijay for ordering the parole. The contrasting reactions have brought the government’s decision into political focus, with the BJP questioning the justification for the extended temporary release and demanding that the administration reverse its orders.
The parole was granted on the personal and medical grounds cited in the petition.
Source: IANS
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