We were not allowed to see Jayalalithaa in hospital, lied about her condition: TN minister

In a significant development, senior Tamil Nadu minister and AIADMK leader Dindigul Srinivasan on Saturday claimed that afraid of party Sasikala, party leaders lied about Jayalalithaa's health last year so that people believe that she was improving.

Madurai: In a significant development, senior Tamil Nadu minister and AIADMK leader Dindigul Srinivasan on Saturday claimed that party leaders lied about Jayalalithaa's health last year so that people believe that she was improving.

"No one was allowed to meet the late chief minister. Whoever came, would be briefed by Sasikala's relatives that she was all right," Srinivasan said adding that "the truth is nobody saw her".

Srinivasan was addressing a public meeting on Friday night where he sought forgiveness of AIADMK cadres and the public for lying about the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's health. "Forgive me my party worker but all of us ministers lied before you when we said Amma is having food and she is alright," he said. 

"Several senior leaders visited Apollo Hospital during Jayalalithaa's stay. Arun Jaitley, Amit Shah, Venkaiah Naidu, Governor, Rahul Gandhi and even DMK leaders visited Amma. However, they could only see Pratap Reddy and Sasikala," he said. 

"Only VK Sasikala and her family had access to see Amma. Rest, no one was allowed. Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and many other dignitaries too were stopped much before her room," he said adding, "We all lied then so that the party's secret did not get leaked."

Ironically, the same minister had in March this year had criticised Panneerselvam and his loyalists who were seeking a probe into Jayalalithaa's death. 

Pointing fingers at Sasikala over her role in Jayalalithaa's death, Srinivasan said, "It was only VK Sasikala - a close aide of Jayalalithaa for several years - who used to meet Jayalalithaa. On the instruction of doctors, Sasikala would go inside Jayalalithaa's room for two minutes."

TTV Dinakaran, the nephew of Sasikala, had earlier claimed that after October 1, 2016, even Sasikala was not allowed inside Jayalalithaa's room.

"So many things were said to make everyone believed that Amma was doing fine in the hospital and was healthy. But nobody knew the truth. Some say they have video footage. Let them show it so that the truth comes out," Srinivasan said.

Reacting to the charge, TTV Dinakaran, nephew of Sasikala, said after October 1, 2016, even Sasikala was not allowed inside Jayalalithaa's room.

He said on the instruction of doctors Sasikala would go inside Jayalalithaa's room for two minutes.

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 former chief minister J Jayalalithaa in December last year.

The petitioner also sought an interim injunction restraining the state ministers from issuing any statements pertaining to the death.

The petitioner, Muruganandham of Thiruvarur district, who claims to be a loyal AIADMK worker, submitted that he filed the plea acceding to requests by other AIADMK workers for setting up of a judicial inquiry commission to find the cause and truth behind the sudden demise of the former chief minister.

Ever since Jayalalithaa's death, there have been hints of foul play over her death, with critics pointing fingers at the now-jailed Sasikala.