Party leaders, including senior AIADMK members have slammed the release of the purported video of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, captured allegedly sometime during her hospitalisation in Apollo Hospitals between September 22- December 5 last year, by disqualified MLA Vetrivel.
Alleging that there was an “ulterior and selfish motive behind the release of the video clip just a day before the bypoll, DMK working president M.K. Stalin said that the evidence should have been presented when DMK president M. Karunanidhi had demanded video or photographic evidence of Jayalalithaa holding an emergency meeting with officials during the Cauvery water sharing crisis.
“Mr. Karunanidhi had demanded the video evidence soon after she was hospitalised. Had they released it back then, the controversy over the former CM’s death could have been avoided. Now, they have made Jayalalithaa a sacrificial goat to settle intra-party problems and divert the attention of the people,” said Mr. Stalin.
Both Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam owed an explanation to the people regarding the circumstances surrounding her demise, he said.
Questioning the timing of the video, State Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said that Mr. Vetrivel should have presented the video to the Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry instead of publicly releasing it before the bypoll.
‘Rules overstepped’
“Vetrivel has clearly overstepped the rules of Election Commission of India and I hope the ECI takes action against him for trying to influence the bypoll,” he said. and added, “When the State has instituted a Commission of Enquiry, Mr. Vetrivel has released a video with an intention to influence voters. He should have given the material to the commission.”
BJP State unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan also echoed similar sentiments and raised questions about the security arrangements during Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation. “When senior AIADMK ministers had said that they couldn’t see former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, someone has gone inside and taken a video… it raises more questions than putting a full stop to the rumours about her health. More than that, releasing a video a year after her death…in a way that lowers her dignity is really reprehensible.”
PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss also asked why disqualified MLA Vetrivel didn’t give the video to the enquiry commission. “After holding this video evidence for so long, Vetrivel’s decision to release it now raises more questions.”
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi president Thirumavalavan said that there needs to be more clarity on the video released.
“Apollo Hospital’s Chairman and Managing Director Dr. Prathap C. Reddy recently said that she was admitted in an unconscious and critical condition. If that is the case, there needs more clarity on when this video was actually recorded.”
