Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Monday, 2 October, pressed for a CBI probe into the death of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
Only when there is a CBI probe, can the ministers, who are making contradictory remarks (on meeting Jayalalithaa when she was hospitalised), be questioned.TTV Dhinakaran
On 25 September, the Tamil Nadu government constituted an inquiry commission headed by Justice A Arumughaswamy to look into the circumstances leading up to the death of the former Chief Minister.
He had earlier asserted that he was ready to submit before any probe agency, including CBI, a video shot by his aunt VK Sasikala of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, when she in the hospital last year.
Dhinakaran said the video had not been released so far since Jayalalithaa was in a "nightie".
His remarks came a day after the Opposition led by the DMK called for a CBI probe into the treatment and death of the former Chief Minister, citing a state minister's recent remarks that AIADMK leaders "lied" about Jayalalithaa's health during her hospitalisation.
Amma (Jayalalithaa) had lost a lot of weight... it was a video shot by my aunt (Sasikala) herself. You all know none would have seen Amma in a nightie, not any functionary. Even when late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Amma following her accident in 1989, she was fully attired, she always maintained that dignity.TTV Dhinakaran
The video of Jayalalithaa, attired in a "loose nightie" was shot by Sasikala after the former was shifted from the ICU at Apollo Hospitals to a room, he told reporters here.
According to Dhinakaran, when the opposition had earlier raised doubts over Jayalalithaa's treatment and death, Sasikala had herself suggested that "we ourselves should seek a judicial probe" into the matter.
What she suggested was that we ourselves could seek a judicial probe where we can submit that video. If that video is released by us now, there would be a debate on its authenticity. So, we are ready to submit it at an appropriate forum, whether CBI or even Interpol. We have nothing to fear.
Over Chief Minister K Palaniswami ordering setting up of an inquiry commission, headed by a retired high court judge, to probe Jayalalithaa's death, Dhinakaran said it was only an attempt to "convince" his now deputy O Panneerselvam, who had earlier raised doubts over the matter.
Panneerselvam had earlier demanded a probe into Jayalalithaa's death.
Dhinakaran said any commission probing the matter should be headed by a "senior sitting judge and not a retired one." Referring to DMK Working President MK Stalin's appeal for a CBI probe into the former chief minister's treatment and death, Dhinakaran claimed such a demand was being made ever since the "wrong campaign" against Sasikala by them and others was fading.
The wrong campaign against Chinnamma (Sasikala) does not exist anymore among people and therefore they are making all kinds of attempts.
The Opposition had yesterday called for "unravelling the mystery" behind the death of the AIADMK supremo, who passed away on 5 December last year after 75 days of hospitalisation.
Forest Minister Dindigul C Srinivasan's comments at a public meeting in Madurai on 22 September that AIADMK leaders had "lied" about Jayalalithaa's health, fearing her aide Sasikala, has drawn flak from the opposition.
No one was allowed to meet the late chief minister.
Whoever came, would be briefed by Sasikala's relatives that she was "all right", he had said.
Yesterday also, Srinivasan said, "Sasikala and her family would tell us she (Jayalalithaa) ate idli, had coffee, was given sweets, did that and this... we told what she (Sasikala) said."
Dhinakaran alleged Srinivasan was making such comments to save his position.
Training his guns at Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, he claimed they were “irked” at the “rousing reception” he receives from public and supporters and that is why his camp was being targeted.
People realised that all such attempts were being made by them to stay in power, he said.
Hitting out at Panneerselvam, Dhinakaran said, "The day he joined hands with Palaniswami, people realised that his six-month old dharma yudh (against Sasikala) was for post only, for the post of deputy chief minister." Earlier, it was Sasikala who had nominated him as the chief minister following the death of Jayalalithaa, he claimed.
Claiming that people wanted him to "send the betrayers home", Dhinakaran asserted that they will have to face polls anytime soon and exuded confidence that his camp will emerge victorious in it.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)