Amethi, Feb 19 (IANS): Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday came out against the Tamil Nadu government's decision to free those convicted in the assassination of his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

An emotional Rahul Gandhi told a gathering here that even a prime minister does not get justice in this country.

"The prime minister gave up his life... (but the) prime minister does not get justice," he said.

Rahul Gandhi said while he was against death penalty per se, this issue concerned the country.

"My father will not come back but it is a national matter, not one of my family or my father.

"If someone kills the prime minister and he is released, how will the common man get justice?

"This is a question that needs to be looked into. There is a need to change Hindustan," he said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Wednesday announced that six men and a woman -- both Indians and Sri Lankans -- convicted in the Gandhi assassination case are to be freed,

All seven had been in prison since 1991, the year a woman Tamil Tiger suicide bomber blew up former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally near Chennai.