Afraid of Sasikala, we lied about Jaya health: Tamil Nadu minister

Madurai: Taking the controversy over the circumstances that led to former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa’s death after prolonged hospitalisation in Chennai last year one notch higher, senior party leader and state forest minister Dindigul C. Sreenivasan has virtually admitted that the entire AIADMK ministry then (during September 22, 2016, when she was first admitted to hospital until her death on December 5, 2016) had “lied to people” on the health conditions of their benevolent leader J. Jayalalithaa since she was admitted in the hospital, but claimed that what they are saying now is “true.”

Addressing a gathering to mark late chief minister C.N. Annadurai’s birth anniversary celebrations at Madurai on Friday night, Mr Sreenivasan “listed the lies” the ministers had made to the people during that period, like ‘Amma was having idli and chutni’.

“We were compelled to lie about her health. We made such statements to make the people believe that she was doing well,” he said. “I apologise for having made such false statements on our leader’s health,” said Sreenivasan.

“We were not allowed to even see her in the hospital. Whenever we visited the hospital, we were made to sit in the room of the hospital owner. Sasikala would meet us in that room and we will return,” he said, adding, in fact nobody was allowed into the floor where Jayalalithaa was given treatment. Sreenivasan said that Jayalalithaa would have told them what was happening and the hardship she was undergoing in the hospital if they (Sasikala) family had allowed them to meet her.

The forest minister also challenged party rebel TTV Dhinakaran to release the video of Amma’s treatment which he claims was in the possession of their family members.

Meanwhile, a petition has been filed in the Madras high court for setting up an inquiry commission, headed by a retired high court judge, to find out the “truth” behind the death of the former chief minister.