Expelled AIADMK Rajya Sabha member Sasikala Pushpa has moved the Supreme Court seeking an investigation into the “mysterious death” of the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa by an independent agency like the CBI or a judicial committee.
In her writ petition, Ms. Pushpa claimed that “more than 280 people lost their lives due to shock following the death of Ms. Jayalalithaa and the said lives have been lost only due to the arbitrary manner in which her deteriorating health was hidden from the public at large”.
Violation of rights
Identifying herself as a “Member of Parliament from the State of Tamil Nadu and the representative of her constituency belonging to the party of Jayalalithaa,” Ms. Pushpa said, “the secrecy maintained raises serious questions among all sections of the society.”
She said it violated the fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
She alleged that even dignitaries like the Governor of Tamil Nadu, leaders of national parties like Amit Shah and Rahul Gandhi, and even family members/close relatives of Jayalalithaa like her only niece were not allowed to meet her.
Conflicting flow of news
Ms. Pushpa highlighted how the “news of her (Jayalalithaa’s) death came curiously a few days after her own announcement by way of a letter addressed to the people of Tamil Nadu that she has recovered and will soon resume her duties.”
Among the several questions posed in the writ petition, Ms. Pushpa asked, “Why are there embalming marks on her (Jayalalithaa’s) cheeks as is clear from the funeral photographs? Does it mean she died long back? If yes, what was the reason that the news was kept as a secret?”
In search of answers
Further, the petition sought an answer to “why it was told that she passed away at 5.30 pm on December 5 and then it was said it was a rumour?”
The petition also questioned the Tamil Nadu Government for conducting an investigation into the death of a sitting Chief Minister.
