May 21, 1991: Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassinated at an election rally by an lTTE suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur
May 20, 1992: Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CBI files the chargesheet in the case before the TADA Designated Court at Poonamallee
Jan 28, 1998: TADA Court awards death sentence to all 26 accused
May 11, 1999: Supreme Court sentences Nalini, Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan to death; commutes death sentence of three others to life; frees 19 others
Oct 8, 1999: Dismissing their appeals, Supreme Court confirms the death sentence awarded to Nalini, Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan
Oct 17, 1999: The four death row convicts send clemency petitions to Tamil Nadu Governor
pOct 27, 1999: Governor rejects the clemency petitions
Nov 25, 1999: Madras High Court quashes Governor’s rejection of clemency petitions; directs the Governor to pass a fresh order after obtaining the State Cabinet’s views
Apr 19, 2000: State Cabinet chaired by then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi decides to recommend commuting the death sentence of Nalini alone
Apr 21, 2000: Governor accepts Cabinet decision to commute death sentence of Nalini
Apr 28, 2000: State Government forwards clemency pleas of Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan to the President
Aug 12, 2011: Union Home Ministry communicates to State Government about President’s decision to reject clemency petitions
Aug 26, 2011: Execution of three convicts fixed for September 9, 2011
Aug 30, 2011: Tamil Nadu Assembly adopts resolution urging the President to commute the death sentence of the three
Aug 30, 2011: Madras High Court stays execution of Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan on their plea. Petitions transferred to Supreme Court later
May 1, 2012: Supreme Court says it would hear the petitions of three convicts
Feb 18, 2014: Supreme Court commutes the death sentence on grounds of delay in disposing their mercy pleas.
The court also says the State Government may consider releasing the convicts under the powers vested with it.
Feb 19, 2014: State Cabinet decides to immediately release Santhan, Murugan, Perarivalan, Nalini, Robert Pious, Jayakumar and Ravichandran; sends its decision to Centre under Section 435 of the Code of Criminal Procedure
iIJaeIJIJ (IJIJcan benefit from this practice. As we move towards inner silence, we will find stress and diseases disappearing. Our communication with others will be much more refined as this sense is getting refined too.
We see that conflicts arise from inappropriate communication. We think and speak at the same time and the moment the other person says something we answer without consulting our mind about what we should say. In fact, nowadays it’s not about what you want to say; it’s about what answer the other person wants to hear. If you don’t provide that answer, communication cannot continue. We make mistakes here without purpose and realisation because we don’t have enough control over this sense organ, ie, the tongue. It is said that the tongue can be man’s greatest enemy. The words once spoken like arrows shot, cannot be taken back. The practice of Maun will help us maintain this speed between the brain activity and what is said and also to give the most suitable answer. There is hardly any seconds’ gap between these two activities; so it’s crucial. It’s never too late to adopt silence and benefit from this age-old custom.
The Britishers in the 19th century were seen smoking cigars and were known for not answering anything before taking a couple of puffs. Was it considered stylishIJ In a way, yes, but the real aim was to pause and think before answering. In today’s modern day world, the need of a pause is very important. Not everyone can think at a high speed before answering. Sometimes, a sip of tea or coffee, bite of snack, a puff of cigarette help build in these necessary pauses in a conversation or get together. It’s a subtle way of having peaceful interaction.
So, we must take care that these fillers are around us when we talk to people. In office, this may not be possible. Even then people take pauses, extend the issue and take time to think. Sometimes, it’s better to say honestly that you need time to think and take a break, especially when there are deadlocks. Another important way to have effective conversation is to find out what the other person wants to hear rather than loading your views on him. No one accepts anything until it is something which suits him. Pauses help us think and find out what is suitable for the other person. Then, communication becomes smooth. Maintaining outer silence also enables us to know when to have a pause and when to take a break as there is better synchronisation between the mind and speech. Its never too late to start and become a happier person!