There couldn’t have been a better timing for the Madras High Court to raise questions on the mysterious conditions under which former Tamil Nadu chief minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam head, J Jayalalithaa passed away earlier this month. Why can’t we order exhumation of the body of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, asked Madras high court on Thursday and issued a notice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, state and central governments and others.
“Media has raised a lot of doubts, personally I also have doubts in Jayalalithaa’s death,” said Justice Vaidyalingam.
He was hearing a petition demanding an inquiry into the former chief minister’s death. “When she was admitted in hospital, it was said that she was on proper diet. At least after her death now, truth should be revealed,” he said.
Justice Vaidyalingam, while stating that the truth related to Jayalalithaa should come out, also asked why can’t her body be exhumed for proper medical examination.
In response, the ruling AIADMK said it has “nothing to hide” and everything is above board.
“Why would we tell lies for 75 days? Would a heart attack inform before happening?” said party spokesperson CR Saraswathy.
“The judge must think about the feeling of the cadres. It has hurt us but we are ready to reply to this,” she said.
Post Jayalalithaa’s death, expelled rebel MP Sasikala Pushpa had moved the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe or a judicial investigation by an apex court judge into the matter.
In her petition, Pushpa had alleged that Jayalalithaa’s death was “suspicious” as her actual medical condition was not disclosed, no one was allowed to visit her, her funeral photographs showed embalming marks and everything from her hospitalisation to her death “was kept under wraps”.
Meanwhile….
The AIADMK general council on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution appointing V.K. Sasikala Natarajan, close aide of former Chief Minister and party supremo Jayalalithaa, as general secretary of the party.
Sasikala, who was a long-time aide to the late CM, broke down as chief minister O Panneerselvam handed to her a resolution passed by the general council of the party nominating her to the party’s most powerful post.
Sasikala first offered tributes in front of a garlanded portrait of Jayalalithaa as party members stood with their hands bowed. Some of them were also heard raising slogans for ‘Chinnamma’ (little mother) as Sasikala is popularly known among the party cadres.
