Why secrecy about Jaya’s death: Tamil actor

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9

Tamil actress Gautami Tadimalla has raised questions about the “secrecy” maintained during the treatment of the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa since her hospitalisation on September 22 till her passing away on December 5.

In a blog post addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the 48-year-old star of several successful Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi and Kannada films asked: “Why nobody was allowed access to her when she was admitted to Apollo hospital? Why this secrecy and isolation of a beloved public leader and the head of the Tamil Nadu government?”

The AIADMK has dismissed the charges as a mischievous attempt to create a rift in the party. This, however, is not the first time that suspicion has been raised.

Similar doubts were earlier, including on December 5, aired by expelled AIADMK parliamentarian Sasikala Pushpa. Holding a placard with a message “why there was a meeting of MLAs going on at the Chennai hospital when Amma was actually better”, Pushpa stood in the Rajya Sabha amid the din post-demonetisation. She was even seen approaching senior BJP leaders on Treasury benches. She told reporters that some “unconstitutional authorities”, including Jayalalithaa’s closest aides, were to be blamed for the situation, and that bulletins released by the hospital “could not be blindly trusted”.

Urging the Prime Minister to initiate a probe, she said, “Why even ministers are not allowed to meet Jayalalithaa? Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi all went, but could not see her. There has been no transparency since the hospitalisation.”

DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, too, had demanded a white paper on Jayalalithaa’s health and social activist Traffic Ramaswamy even petitioned the Madras High Court in October over her illness.

Smelling a conspiracy? 
DMK patriarch and former CM M Karunanidhi had also sought a white paper on Jayalalithaa’s health

What Actor Gautami wrote in her blog

“There has been a near total blanketing of information on this (Jayalalithaa’s health). Nobody was allowed access to her and many dignitaries who visited her with deep concern were denied a chance to convey their wishes in person. Why this secrecy and isolation of a beloved leader and the head of Tamil Nadu government? Whose authority restricted access to the late CM? Who was taking decisions on treatment and care when her health was apparently in such a delicate state? Who is responsible for these answers to people?” 

Pushpa was first to raise doubts 

Expelled AIADMK MP Sasikala Pushpa held a placard in the Rajya Sabha on December 5 questioning “why MLAs were holding a meeting when Amma was well”. Sasikala was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2014 when she was the Mayor of Thoothukudi. She was expelled from the AIADMK in August for slapping DMK MP Tiruchi Siva at the IGI Airport. While Jayalalithaa was in hospital, Pushpa also wrote to Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, expressing fear that someone close to her may forge her signature to nominate a deputy in her absence.

No birthday bash, Rajini tells his fans 

Tamil ‘superstar’ Rajinikanth has asked his fans to desist from celebrating his coming birthday on December 12 in view of the death of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Rajinikanth "requests his fans not to celebrate his birthday and avoid keeping banners and posters," his publicist said in a tweet. The ‘Kabali’ star turns 66 on December 12 and usually his birthday is celebrated in a grand manner by his fans.