Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa was driven to death by her long-time close aide VK Sasikala, senior AIADMK leader and minister Dindigul C Srinivasan has alleged. He accused Sasikala and her family members of “feeding slow poison” to Jayalalithaa by giving her food unsuitable for her health condition.
The allegations, made at a party function at Nilakkottai in Dindigul district Saturday, only spread Sunday when a video of the event emerged. The minister accused both Sasikala and her nephew, TTV Dhinakaran who is now leading a rebel faction of AIADMK.
Jayalalithaa had diabetes but Sasikala was unconcerned, Srinivasan alleged. “Just like feeding slow poison, they (Sasikala and family) fed food items which were not conducive to Jayalalithaa’s health and which eventually led to death of our leader,” he claimed.
“When Jayalalithaa was alive, Sasikala assisted the former in her daily routine. Misusing that proximity, Dhinakaran used to threaten AIADMK workers. However, such strategies will not work now,” Srinivasan is seen telling the audience.
Meanwhile deputy assembly speaker Pollachi V Jayaraman, speaking to party workers at Tuticorin on the same day, also made an indirect attack on Sasikala saying that “someone” had refused to let Jayalalithaa be taken abroad for treatment.
“We were ready to shift our leader to foreign countries for providing treatment. If Jayalalithaa was treated abroad, she could have been saved. The Arumugasamy commission enquiring into Jayalalithaa’s death will reveal who had prevented from taking ‘Amma’
{{/usCountry}}“We were ready to shift our leader to foreign countries for providing treatment. If Jayalalithaa was treated abroad, she could have been saved. The Arumugasamy commission enquiring into Jayalalithaa’s death will reveal who had prevented from taking ‘Amma’
{{/usCountry}}(Jayalalithaa) to foreign countries for treatment,” he claimed.
The state government has already set up the judicial commission, headed by retired Madras High Court judge Justice A Arumugasamy, to investigate the circumstances surrounding Jayalalithaa’s death.
However, Raja Sendoor Pandian, counsel for Sasikala, said that these statements were not appropriate
“When the Arumugasamy judiciary commission was formed, as counsel of Sasikala, I urged people who are having any information to appear before the commission and raise their queries. However, the minister is speaking about it in his party meeting. This seems to be an act of insulting the commission formed by the TN government,” Raja told Hindustan Times.
Sasikala is currently serving a four year jail term in a disproportionate assets case.