CHENNAI: Parvathi Ammal, mother of slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran, deferred her idea of taking treatment for her ailments in TN for the time being, the Madras High Court was informed through a counteraffidavit filed on Tuesday.
The counter was filed in response to a public interest writ petition from advocate R Kaaruppan praying for a direction to the governments in the State and at the Centre to make all arrangements to provide treatment to Parvathi Ammal, including transportation, free of cost.
In her counter, Smita Pant, deputy secretary (Bangladesh) in the Ministry of External Affairs, submitted that pursuant to the decision taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs to grant medical visa to Parvathi Ammal, two officials visited Ammal at a hotel in Colombo on May 11 last. They conveyed the willingness of the Centre to assist in the issue of medical visa to her. They also indicated the offer to arrange for medical treatment at a GH in TN at government cost. Ammal was awake during the meeting, but did not speak. R Sambanthan, Sri Lankan MP, spoke on her behalf. Subsequently, on March 12, he conveyed her decision that her visit to India might be deferred for the time being.