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Stalin slams EPS, vows to speed up probe into Jayalalithaa’s death
Responding to Palaniswami’s charge that Stalin and his father late M Karunanidhi were responsible for Jayalalithaa’s death, the opposition leader said that he was ready to face the justice Arumugamsamy Commission that is investigating the reasons behind her death.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin on Tuesday took on Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami on his home turf in Salem over the mystery surrounding former AIADMK chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s death.
Responding to Palaniswami’s charge that Stalin and his father late M Karunanidhi were responsible for Jayalalithaa’s death, the opposition leader said that he was ready to face the justice Arumugamsamy Commission that is investigating the reasons behind her death.
“Now that we have mentioned in our manifesto that we will speed up the enquiry into Jayalalithaa’s death, Palaniswami is panicking and blabbering things like we are responsible for her death,” said Stalin, while campaigning for the DMK’s candidates in Salem— R Rajendran from Salem North, C Tamilselvan from the reserved constituency of Yercaud, and Dr Tarun from Veerapandi.
Stalin, on several occasions during his campaign, said that if voted to power, the party will conduct a probe into the ‘mystery’ since several questions were raised over Jayalalithaa’s death. It was eventually brought into the DMK’s manifesto for the April 6 elections.
The former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo died after a long hospitalisation in 2016. “When MG Ramachandran (MGR) died in hospital, the then health minister announced his death but no party leader kept public informed about Jayalalithaa’s health and death,” said Stalin, holding the AIADMK leadership responsible for her death.
In 2017, the ruling AIADMK formed a one-man commission led by retired justice Arumughaswamy as part of a truce with O Panneerselvam, who led a breakaway faction in the aftermath of the AIADMK supremo’s death.
The term of justice Arumughaswamy commission has so far been extended nine times after examining more than 100 witnesses. “It was OPS’ demand to probe but he has not appeared before the commission after several summons,” said Stalin.
