Amma no more: Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa dies

[vgane]

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There is outpouring of grief from the people of TN! I could see elderly weeping! My nonagenarian dad got emotional when I spoke with him yesterday! The legacy of Amma will be there for a very long time !!

 

[vgane]

[h=1]Political leaders mourn Jayalalithaa's death[/h] December 06, 2016 03:01 IST

President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Union Ministers, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and various other top leaders on Monday condoled Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's demise and paid glowing tributes to her.
Jayalalithaa passed away at a private hospital in Chennai after battling for life for 75 days.
"Deeply saddened at the passing away of Jayalalithaa; her demise has left a huge void in Indian politics," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted soon after the news of her death broke.
"I will always cherish the innumerable occasions when I had the opportunity to interact with Jayalalithaa ji. May her soul rest in peace," he said.
Expressing grief at the passing away of the stalwart of Tamil Nadu politics, President Pranab Mukherjee said, "Heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Ms. Jayaram Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu."
"One of India's most charismatic and popular leaders, Ms. Jayalalithaa was a visionary and able administrator. Her life was dedicated to the socio-economic transformation of Tamil Nadu and its people," the President said.
"In her passing away, the nation has lost an icon who was loved and admired by millions. Her contribution to the progress and development of Tamil Nadu will be long remembered," he said.
Vice President Hamid Ansari also condoled her death, saying Jayalalithaa's demise is an "irreparable loss to the people of India".
"An eminent public figure, a charismatic personality, she had immense influence over the political developments in Tamil Nadu as well as the national level.
"As Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, her contributions towards the economic development of the state and social welfare of the poorer segments will be long remembered and cherished. Her death is an irreparable loss to the people of India," Ansari said.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, while condoling Jayalalithaa's death, said, "I am deeply grieved to learn the passing of Selvi J Jayalalithaa.
"Selvi Jayalalithaa lived her entire life with the same indomitable courage with which she battled her illness. As the leader of AIADMK and four-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, she had a unique and deep empathy with the needs and hopes of the people, and put in place policies that immeasurably improved their lives.
"Whether it was her welfare schemes for the rural and urban poor, her swift relief measures in the aftermath of tsunami, or her vision of Tamil Nadu's industrial development, her leadership qualities and administratively abilities were truly outstanding," Sonia said.
Sonia hailed her as a "towering figure in our national and political life, who won admiration across the political sepctrum for the intrepid spirit with which she faced the ups and downs of her life in politics."
In his tweet, condoling Jayalalithaa's demise, Rahul Gandhi said, "We lost a great leader today. Women, farmers, fishermen and the marginalised dreamt through her eyes. We will miss Jayalalithaa ji, Amma to millions."
Home Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed sadness at the passing away of Jayalalithaa, saying, "She was a powerful voice for the weaker sections of the society."
"She always worked for the benefit of the poor and needy. She has left an indelible mark in Tamil Nadu politics with her enduring legacy. Selvi Jayalalithaa was one of the most iconic political figures of India who had an enormous impact on the people of Tamil Nadu," Singh said.
"I pay my heartfelt tributes to the departed soul. I also appeal to the people of Tamil Nadu to remain calm in this hour of grief," he said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condoled the passing away of Jayalilthaa.
"A popular, bold, efficient, people-friendly charismatic leader Amma, always at the heart of people. Big loss, I am shocked, saddened," Banerjee said in a tweet.
"I humbly urge the people of Tamil Nadu and AIADMK to face this big loss with courage and greatness. May she rest in peace," the Trinamool Congress supremo said.
Expressing grief, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot said, "Deeply saddened to learn of the demise of Tamil Nadu CM, Selvi Jayalalithaa. Iron Lady in politics so far, has left a vacuum."
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy also expressed grief at her death.
"Jayalalithaa has done a lot of good work for the development of Tamil Nadu and for the welfare of the people. I mourn her death personally and also on behalf of the people of the union territory," he said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a tweet, said, "Very sad to hear the demise of Amma. A very very popular leader. Aam aadmi's leader. May her soul rest in peace."
Condoling her death, BJP President Amit Shah said, "Saddened by the demise of Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa ji. I extend my deepest condolences to her party and followers in this hour of grief."

http://www.rediff.com/news/report/jayalalithaa-demise-condolence/20161206.htm

 

[tbs]

There is outpouring of grief from the people of TN! I could see elderly weeping! My nonagenarian dad got emotional when I spoke with him yesterday! The legacy of Amma will be there for a very long time !!

hi

once considered for INDIAN PRIME MINISTER POST.....destiny was written different thing...

 

[GANESH65]

Some old rare photographs of Puraitchi Talaivi.....



http://www.msn.com/en-in/entertainm...-AAlblCw?li=AAgfYGb&ocid=mailsignout#image=16

 

[mkrishna100]

Tamil Nadu CM PurathciThalavi , Amma Jayalaitha is no more alive and while she was a very popular leader but at the same time a very private Person and did not open much to the press to reveal her other side and this one very rare but also one of her best interview of hers with Simi Garewal when she first became the CM in early 90s that showed the other side of Jayalalitha in her own words . This is a two part interview .Watch both to get a full picture of Madam Jayalaitha in her own words . Sharing this video interview as a tribute to one of the most popular and powerful CM of Tamil Nadu .
Rendezvous with Simi Garewal Jayalalithaa Part -1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzqLo_1SPZg
Rendezvous with Simi Garewal Jayalalithaa Part -2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf2bU9xD-3E

 

[athimber]

Great irreprable loss to TN. Her sympathy and soft corner towards the downtrodden and works done for them by her will always be rememberd. May her soul Rest in peace.

 

[vgane]

Nice words from Poet Vairamuthu!

சந்தியாவின் மகளாய்ப் பிறந்தார்; இந்தியாவின் மகளாய் மறைந்தார்;
வைரமுத்து இரங்கல்

டிசம்பர் 06,2016
​

சென்னை: முதல்வர் ஜெயலலிதா மறைவுக்கு இரங்கல் தெரிவிக்கும் வகையில், கவிஞர் வைரமுத்து இரங்கல் தெரிவித்து வெளியிட்ட கவிதை:

ஜெயலலிதா என்ற கலையோடு கூடிய அரசியல் சரித்திரம், மரணத்தின் முற்றுப்புள்ளியோடு முடிந்திருக்கிறது.

ஆணாதிக்கமிக்க அரசியலில் தான் ஒரு திண்ணென்ற பெண்ணென்று நின்று காட்டியவர் வென்று காட்டியவர் தன் போராட்டத்தை முடித்துக்கொண்டுவிட்டார்.

மாண்டியா மாவட்டம் மேல்கோட்டையில் பிறந்தவர் செயின்ட் ஜார்ஜ் கோட்டையிலே தன் நீண்ட வாழ்க்கையை நிறைவு செய்திருக்கிறார்.

அவர் செய்த சாதனைகள் இன்னொரு பெண்ணால் எட்டமுடியாதவை.

ஒரு கலையரசி புவியரசி ஆக முடியுமென்றது ஒரு சாதனை.

ஒரு நட்சத்திரம் நிலவாக நீண்டது ஒரு சாதனை.

திராவிட இயக்கத்தின் ஒரு கிளையின்மீது ஒரு பிராமணப் பெண்மணி பேராதிக்கம் செலுத்தியது ஒரு சாதனை.

கலையுலகில் 'அம்மு' என்று அறியப்பட்டவர், அரசியல் உலகில் 'அம்மா' என்று விளிக்கப்பட்டது ஒரு சாதனை.

தமிழ்நாட்டிலிருந்து ஒரு 'பிரதமர் வேட்பாளர்' என்று தன்னைப் பிம்பப்படுத்தியது பெருஞ்சாதனை.போராட்டங்களால் சூழப்பட்டது அவரது வாழ்வு.

ஆனால் எந்த நிலையிலும் அவர் தன் கர்வப்பெருமையைக் கரைத்துக்கொண்டதில்லை.

மழையில் நனைந்தாலும் சாயம்போகாத கிளியின் சிறகைப்போல இழிவுகளுக்கு மத்தியிலும் அவர்தன் இயல்புகளை மாற்றிக்கொண்டதில்லை.

உறுதி என்பது அவர் உடன்பிறந்தது.

ஒருமுறை கர்நாடகத்தில் நடந்த ஒரு படப்பிடிப்பின்போது, கன்னடப் போராளிகளால் சூழப்பட்டார். 'கன்னடம் வாழ்க, தமிழ் ஒழிக' என்று முழங்குமாறு வற்புறுத்தப்பட்டார். 'கன்னடம் வாழ்க' என்று சொன்னாலும் செல்வேனே தவிர எந்த நிலையிலும் 'தமிழ் ஒழிக' என்று கூறமாட்டேன் என்று துணிந்து நின்று வன்முறைக்கு நடுவிலும் வழிமாறாதவர் மொழிமாறாதவர் ஜெயலலிதா.


கலைத்துறையில் அவர் பதித்த தடங்கள் அழகானவை; அழியாதவை.

அவரைத் தவிர யாரும் ஆடமுடியாது என்ற நடனங்களும், அவரைத் தவிர யாரும் நடிக்க முடியாது என்ற காட்சிகளும் அவருக்கே சொந்தம்.

'எங்கிருந்தோ வந்தாள்' படத்தில் அவர் காட்டிய குணச்சித்திரம் கொண்டாடத்தக்கது.

'மேஜர் சந்திரகாந்த்' படத்தில் இறந்ததாக அவர் நடித்தபோது மரணத்திற்கே ஒரு செளந்தர்ய ஒய்யாரம் தந்திருப்பார்.

'ஆயிரத்தில் ஒருவனில்' அவரது அழகு சந்தனச் சிலையா சந்திர கலையா என்று சொக்க வைக்கும்.

சந்தியாவின் மகளாய்ப் பிறந்தார்; இந்தியாவின் மகளாய் மறைந்தார்.

எல்லோர்க்கும் வாய்க்காது இந்தச் சரித்திரம்.

அவர் உயிரோடிருந்தபோது இந்தப் புகழ்மொழியைச் சொல்லமுடியாத சூழ்நிலையில் இருந்த நான், அவர் இறந்த பிறகு சொல்கிறேனே என்ற துயரம் இறப்பின் வலியை இருமடங்கு செய்கிறது.

மறைந்தும் மறையாத கலையரசிக்கு ஒரு ரசிகனாக என் அஞ்சலிப் பூக்களை அள்ளித் தெளிக்கிறேன்.

எனக்கே ஆறுதல் தேவைப்படும்போது நான் யாருக்கு ஆறுதல் சொல்வது? என தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

http://www.dinamalar.com/news_detail.asp?id=1664103

 

[vgane]

[h=1]Nothing deterred Jaya from achieving what she sought to[/h] December 06, 2016 08:39 IST


Jayalalithaa, tinsel town heroine who practised politics on her own terms to remain one of the main poles of Tamil Nadu politics for three decades, was a feisty leader with a lot of grit and determination, staging remarkable comebacks despite setbacks on account of corruption cases.


A teen starlet, who acted with the who's who of Tamil cinema in the 1960s and 70s, Jayalalitha went on to become a five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu, effortlessly inheriting the mantle of her mentor and superstar M G Ramachandran.
Practitioner of adulatory politics, she has often been criticised for the public display of unswerving loyalty of her senior leaders and cadre, but nothing deterred her from what she sought to achieve in her own way.
Born in a Brahmin family in Mysore in Karnataka, Jayalalitha quite often had the better of her archrival M Karunanidhi, a stalwart and one of the earliest products of the Dravidian movement that was founded on an anti-Brahmin platform.
After her formal initiation into the politics in 1982 when she was inducted into the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, she displayed enormous political skills in shouldering the task of running the party after the death of M G Ramachandran in 1987.
Jayalalithaa, 68, had to quit twice over corruption cases, but managed to stage dramatic comebacks on both occasions.
While the journey of actor Jayalalithaa started in 1965 with Vennira Aadai (The White Dress), she assumed her political avatar in 1982 after MGR made her the propaganda secretary the next year.
The charismatic actor-politician was made a Rajya Sabha member in 1984 by MGR, with whom she had paired opposite in 28 films, and led the party's charge in the 1984 assembly and Lok Sabha polls when he could could not go on a campaign trail following illness.
But her moment of reckoning came a few years later when MGR died in 1987, with the AIADMK at crossroads.
The leader was humiliated as MGR's body was lying in state in the heritage Rajaji Hall when a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader tried to push her from the rostrum.
She faced intense and protracted struggle to eventually head the AIADMK, overcoming the animosity of rival camps led by leaders like senior minister in the MGR cabinet R M Veerappan.
The AIADMK split into two factions then, famously called AIADMK (J) and AIADMK (Ja), named after Jayalalithaa and Janaki, wife of MGR.
Jayalalithaa successfully contested the Tamil Nadu assembly election in 1989
from Bodinayakkanur and became the first woman Leader of Opposition in the House. This period saw some challenges in her political and personal life, with Jayalalithaa alleging she was harassed and attacked by ruling DMK in the House even as she met with a deadly accident.
She unified the AIADMK in 1990 and led the party to a superb victory in 1991 with a massive majority.
However, the five-year period turned out to be her undoing as corruption charges, display of pomp during her foster son's marriage and non-performance led to her defeat in the 1996 elections at the hands of archrival DMK.
Soon after, a slew of cases including the disproportionate assets case were filed against her.
She had to quit twice following court cases, once in 2001 and later in 2014.
For nearly six months, starting September 2001 she was out of office after she was unseated by the Supreme Court vis-a-vis electoral disqualification in the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation case.
Between September 29, 2014, and May 22, 2015, she was out of office again after she was disqualified as a legislator and consequently lost chief ministership following her conviction in a graft case by a trial court in Bengaluru which was later set aside by the Karnataka high court.
Twice she went to jail, once after the DMK government registered a corruption case in 1996 and the second time after her conviction in 2014. But Jayalalitha took legal recourse to stage terrific comebacks on both the occasions.
Altogether, she was sworn in as CM five times -- 1991-96, May-Sept 2001, 2002-06, 2011-14, 2015-16.
Hailed as 'Puratchi Thalaivi' (Revolutionary Leader), Jayalalithaa proved wrong all calculations of the DMK retaining power in 2011 when she led her party to a fantastic victory by forming a rainbow coalition comprising Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and Left parties.
She retained power in 2016, scripting history after three decades to ensure that a party won a successive term.
Jayalalithaa is credited with introducing innovative schemes and projects, including 69 per cent reservation in education and employment, freebies and a host of brand Amma initiatives like water, cement and subsidised canteens.
Jayalalithaa's only trusted aide for long was Sasikala Natarajan who stayed with her at her Poes Garden.
Sasikala was briefly expelled from the party for a couple of times but the two reconciled quickly on those occasions.
Reuters



http://www.rediff.com/news/report/jayalalithaa-obitury-a-feisty-leader/20161206.htm

 

[vgane]

The last journey begins for Amma

 

[vgane]

Sad!

 

[vgane]

What happened to Amma's blood relatives?

[h=1]Amma to millions, Jayalalithaa lost family links[/h]Julie Mariappan | TNN | Updated: Dec 6, 2016, 09.44 AM IST

Jayalalithaa (right) with her mother Veda, who later took the screen name Sandhya, and brother Jayakumar.

She was Amma to millions. But, Jayalalithaa, 68, was alone in hospital for more than two months till her last hours, with no blood relatives beside her. Deepa, the daughter of Jayalalithaa's brother, Jayakumar, had tried to meet her but was turned away by police at the hospital. "We'll get back to you," they told her when she explained who she was. But they never did and Deepa couldn't see her aunt.

In October 2014 too, Deepa and her husband Madhavan made a futile attempt to see how Jayalalithaa was doing after her return from Parapana Agrahara prison. The couple stood among hundreds of cadres braving heavy rain to greet the AIADMK leader, and stood alone for another two hours on the pavement near Jayalalithaa's residence.

"There were hurdles in reaching her and communicating with her. I don't know how these barriers came up," said Deepa, who was born at Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden residence.

Jayalalithaa spent her early years with her grandparents in Mysuru, a time she has recalled as carefree and joyous. Later on, though she moved to Chennai, her mother's family was in touch with her. Her relationship with her close and extended family deteriorated after she hosted a lavish wedding for her foster son V N Sudhakaran (later estranged) in September 1995.

Jayalalithaa's family has rarely been in the limelight. Her mother, Veda, also known as Sandhya, was born in Nellore in what was then Madras Presidency, and had three sisters and a brother. She moved to Mysuru and married Jayaraman, a sportsperson whose father was the palace surgeon for the Mysore maharaja.

Growing up, Jayalalithaa was very fond of her mother's brother Srinivasan, who she called "cheeni mama". Her mother's oldest sister, Vidyavathi, an actor and stewardess with British Airways, ran a school for the disabled in Bengaluru. She was part of YGP's United Amateur Artists, one of the first drama troupes in Chennai. Her daughters, Amitha and Jayanthi, live abroad.

Veda's other sister, Ambuja, and her husband Kannan had no children and stayed with Jayalalithaa many years ago. The youngest of Veda's sisters, Padmini, who lived with her producer-husband Narasimman and their two sons in Bengaluru, died in 2011. "The family meets on occasion. Some of them came for my wedding in November 2012," Deepa said. Jayalalithaa wasn't among them, she added.

Deepa studied in the UK, while her brother Deepak did an MBA in the US and now runs his own firm in Chennai. Despite attempts he could not be reached.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...he-lost-family-links/articleshow/55823979.cms

 

[GANESH65]

Kalaingar Karunanidhi is the only privileged LIVING Chief Minister, who has paid farewell respect to all other Chief Minister's in his life time..

1. Rajagopalachari
2. Aringar Anna
3. Bhaktavachalam
4.Kamarajar
5. Navazhar Nedunchezhian
6. M.G.Ramachandran
7. Janaki Ramachandran

and now

8. Dr.Selvi.Jayalalitha


Source. What's app

 

[vgane]

Poignant one!

 

[vgane]

 

[renuka]

Can anyone tell me why she was NOT cremated?

I was quite shocked to see live TV here showing a burial?

She was an Iyengar...aren't Iyengars just like the rest of Hindus supposed to have a cremation?

Why was it a burial?

I was expecting a priest to be present!

 

[GANESH65]

Yes I was also taken a bit by surprise. Don't understand why she was denied a traditional cremation...

 

[GANESH65]

Jayalalitha's daring speech in 1999 given to a English channel : A question was posed to her. Tell us about your personal life, as the rumours stick on every corners of your life? She boldly answered, " I was a failure in my personal life.My life is a open book. Everyone loves MGR ,even I did. But I was not accepted in a legal relationship. That made a fire in my mind to make an identity for myself. I would always feel that if my mother was alive in my crucial hours ,my personal life would have been more better than this. But I want to prove that Dr.MGR is my identity. So I entered the politics. An Indian tradition is that a girl is born as a daughter, then a wife and should die as a mother. I couldn't achieve myself as a wife. But I will definitely die as a mother". This is the bold answer given by the lady.

 

[here2where]

A very painful way to go, so Karma does catch up.
Reason for burial could be that there were no blood relatives. And oh yes, there indeed was a portly priest doing the needful near the burial site...
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/...-marina-beach-last-rites-burial/1/828159.html


Or if you are into conspiracy theories, listen to the video -
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...lithaa-not-cremation/articleshow/55833125.cms

 

[tbs]

Can anyone tell me why she was NOT cremated?

I was quite shocked to see live TV here showing a burial?

She was an Iyengar...aren't Iyengars just like the rest of Hindus supposed to have a cremation?

Why was it a burial?

I was expecting a priest to be present!

hi

may be like M G R....even though iyengar by birth......never practised in her life...i think....its POLITICAL DECISION..

 

[prasad1]

The burial, rather than cremation, of J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday alongside the memorial of her mentor and former Tamil Nadu chief minister MG Ramachandran on Marina Beach, generated curiosity.
Custom dictates that a Tamil Brahmin – whether Iyer or Iyengar – has to be cremated after death.
“Going by the practice, Jayalalithaa, a Tamil Iyengar Brahmin, was supposed to be cremated. It was rather surprising as to why she was buried,” said G Venkataraman, an Iyengar Brahmin.


Two reasons are being cited for the burial: tradition and politics.
In Dravidian culture and tradition, Brahminical rituals are a strict no, and people don’t care for gods and similar symbols. “That’s why Dravidian leaders don’t attach much importance to such rituals,” said Prof Aarasu of the Tamil department in Madras University.
Jayalalithaa might be a Brahmin and also a staunch believer of Hindu religious rituals, but she was the leader of a Dravidian party which is closely associated with the Periyar movement that was anti-Brahminical in nature, the expert said.
“Since the party is deciding on the matters, it is a burial.”
Besides, another reason could be playing its part too. There are memorials for MGR and Anna Durai on Marina Beach and the party would like to erect a monument in Jayalalithaa’s memory as well.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ot-cremated/story-BpKlwNvoK4wKFRdBBPHoJI.html

 

[prasad1]

I just happened to see the last part of the burial ceremony. She had already been put in the coffin and they were putting the last nail. They took the coffin and started to lower it into a granite walled chamber. What surprised me was the presence of a fat Brahmin priest doing something there. What a Brahmin priest has to do with the burial of Brahmin woman? Burial is against the custom followed by Brahmins. Had it been a cremation the priests have a function to perform. For a burial, I do not think the priest has anything to do. This is hypocrisy. Either you go and do it in a way you want to do which is against the normal custom followed. Or you stick to the regular custom. It is foolish to mix the two. Now many marry without going through all the rituals but just go to the registrar''s office and sign the marriage register. It is alright if no ''Saptapadi'' or ''Dhara'' is performed. But this burial with an officiating Brahmin priest most ridiculous. If her party abhor all Brahminical practices what that priest was doing? As regards constructing a tomb, after cremation there will be the bones which are retrieved from the funeral pyre which is generally threw into sea or a water body in a sacred place. From that some bones can be buried in a tomb made for her. Incidentally if she was following the strict principles of Dravidian parties, how many famous temples in Kerala she has visited and given costly offerings like elephant and golden pot! Silly arguments.

Comment by VKG to the above post.
Rajbhushan Kharbanda Both reasons cited are nonsense and betray sheer ignorance. In Iyengar traditions, an unmarried woman and man who did not have thread marriage will be buried and not cremated.

Our resident experts can shed some light.

 

[renuka]

The burial, rather than cremation, of J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday alongside the memorial of her mentor and former Tamil Nadu chief minister MG Ramachandran on Marina Beach, generated curiosity.
Custom dictates that a Tamil Brahmin – whether Iyer or Iyengar – has to be cremated after death.
“Going by the practice, Jayalalithaa, a Tamil Iyengar Brahmin, was supposed to be cremated. It was rather surprising as to why she was buried,” said G Venkataraman, an Iyengar Brahmin.


l

I hope Forum members especially Iyengars can shed some light here.

Many of us our here in Msia too are surprised that JJ did not have a cremation.

There better be some logical explanation for this and not just becos of the pseudo atheistic mindset of the party she led but what ever said and done..shouldn't a persons final send off be in accordance with his/her heritage by birth..after all even if the ruling party has pseudo-atheistic views still Hindus of any kind cremate the dead in TN.


Iyengars of the forum..Vadakalais or Thenkalais...please kindly shed some light.

Vaaaagggggmiiiiiiiiiii Ji...Kahaan Hain Aap?

 

[CHANDRU1849]

First of all, Hinduism is not an organized Religion. The religion has so many castes, which have different customs and conventions.

One of my ex-colleagues, who hailed from Mudaliyar community and one of his uncles was a trustee of a famous Shiva Temple in Mylapore, once said that they used to bury the dead. He also expressed his displeasure that whenever the dead body does not fit in, they used to break the leg or hand.

In the case of Jayalalitha, she never mentioned about her caste openly and also it seems that she has not accommodated any of her caste people in close proximity to dictate terms. In fact, she faced lot of criticism from her own caste people, who belong to journalism and film world. Kamal Hassan's Twitter message after the death of Jayalalitha, is an example. Incidentally, she had more friends and well wishers from Iyer community.

But, at the same time, it is equally surprising to note that an Iyengar Priest was seen at the spot doing something. From news reports, the last rites were performed by one of her relatives and Sasikala, who belongs to Thevar community. I believe Thevars are Shaivites.

 

[renuka]

hi

....even though iyengar by birth......never practised in her life...i think....its POLITICAL DECISION..

Its not about Practicing or Non Practicing...she was not an Atheist..also a persons heritage is decided by birth...until and unless specified by the person on how he/she wants their final send off to be... for all practical purposes tradition prevails.

How can a political party make the decision here? They are not kith or kin.

Also why was her own niece Deepa not allowed to even see her at the Hospital?

What is the hidden agenda here?

Political parties afraid to allow a Hindu send off for her cos that would be against their "ideology?"

I just hope the decision to give her a burial was not politically motivated cos if it is then everyone is a bunch of hypocrites calling out Amma Amma when the Amma was not given her due send off.

 

[V.Balasubramani]

[h=1]Remember Jayalalithaa’s political success, but don't forget her corrupt legacy[/h][h=1]By Nalini R Mohanty[/h]
It was an irony that Jayaram Jayalalithaa (her name is sometimes spelled Jayalalitha) was called the Puratchi Thalaivi(Revolutionary Leader).

Jayalalithaa behaved — and she liked to be seen as well — as a 15th Century empress who walked down the royal palace with a host of minions prostrating themselves before her. A truly revolutionary leader — even a truly democratic leader — would have come down hard on such a practice, even if her followers thought that was the only way to show respect to her; but Jayalalithaa seemed to revel in this naked display of power and encouraged it as the standard public display of loyalty. She had that unashamed streak of a feudal leader.


Like most feudal benefactors, she looked after the interest of her wards very well. The Amma Canteens and Amma Medicines have been the envy of political leaders in every other state and many state governments have devised schemes taking the cue from the Tamil Nadu experiment.

But there were innumerable cases of complicity in corrupt deals in which she was not legally indicted but her involvement was all over there for everyone to see. For her, the redeeming feature was that in all such deals she alone was not the accused; the accusing finger could be pointed against her fierce political rival, M Karunanidhi, the other mega star of the Tamil Nadu politics. Both the DMK and AIADMK governments helped institutionalise corruption in Tamil Nadu. And both were greatly helped with successive judicial interventions.

"It was not just the government system and the two major political parties that favoured the mining mafia; the judiciary too played a part, with over hundred orders favouring private miners; there were lots of stay orders issued against cancellation of licences or actions against miners."

This indictment pointed to the plunder by the granite mining barons at Melur near Madurai in Tamil Nadu and the manner in which Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa, two political leaders at the helm of the state apparatus, facilitated the creation of an illegal mining empire in cahoots with the judiciary. Mind you, the above was not an indictment by a journalist or a social activist; it was the anguished voice of a former judge of the Madras High Court who had spoken to The Indian Express on record.

It was a sordid story. In 1990, Jayalalithaa changed the mining law of the state and allowed private mining. And there emerged a mining baron, PR Palanichami, who built an illegal empire, with the Jayalalithaa government looking the other way. Not to be left behind, the grandson of her arch rival Karunanidhi, Dayanidhi, also entered the lucrative granite business when the DMK came to power. Palanichami's PRP Granites and Dayanidhi's Olympus Granites became the vehicles of plunder by these two 'beloved' leaders of the state.

The plunder went on with impunity — with the local media also looking the other way as they were also in thrall to these larger-than-life leaders — until an RTI activist of Melur named S Murugesan filed an RTI queries in 2008 asking for information on the granite business of the PRP Group. As he did not get the answer he sought, Murugesan filed a petition in the Madras High Court.

And here comes the dubious role of certain judges of the honourable court. Justice K Chandru, a retired judge of the Madras High Court, who had heard Murugesan's petition in the court, was candid enough to speak to The Indian Express about the corruption in the higher judiciary: "We ordered an enquiry into PRP Granites's exports for a year and found discrepancies there too -- there was a huge difference between the volume he exported and what he was permitted to mine. PRP Granites filed an appeal against the probe and another bench of the court stayed it. That stay is still on."

With top politicians and top judges acting in unison to protect the illegal empire, the state exchequer lost a staggering Rs 16000 crore (an estimate by a daring Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officer, U Sagayam, who is supposed to have faced 24 transfers in 23 years for taking on corruption at high places.

Now, with Jayalalithaa dead and Karunanidhi battling it out in another ICU in Chennai, Tamil Nadu has entered a new phase of politics. Hopefully, it will give rise to the dawn of a new brand of politics that is corruption-free.

Source: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/r...t-dont-forget-her-corrupt-legacy-3143358.html