Jaya treatment: Ministers give varying versions

With various ministers in the state government giving out varying versions of what purportedly transpired during their boss Jayalalithaa’s treatment at the Apollo Hospital, the Justice A. Arumughaswamy Commission set up to probe her death may have a tough time arriving at the correct conclusion through this confusing maze of contradictions.

Forest minister Dindigul Sreenivasan did the “muhurat” for this latest political blockbuster by using the Anna birth anniversary podium at his native town on September 15 to launch a blistering attack on Sasikala accusing the “family” of manipulating Jayalalithaa’s treatment and preventing access to the VIP visitors —Arun Jaitley, governor Vidyasagar Rao and Rahul Gandhi — to ensure she did not tell them the truth about her hospitalisation. Only Sasikala and family had access to Amma, while all the AIADMK leaders and even ministers were kept out during the entire period of hospitalisation (72

days), he said.

“We could have got her the best treatment and medicines available anywhere in the world, but they (Sasikala and family) allowed the ailment to get complicated so as to force a natural death,” said minister Sreenivasan, virtually accusing the “family” of conspiracy and murder.

Tourism minister Vellamandi N. Natarajan repeated the “access denial” charge when he told reporters on Tuesday (September 26) that Sasikala did not permit anyone to see Amma.

“The truth is that none of us saw Jayalalithaa during that period of hospitalisation,” said the minister