CHENNAI: The recommendation of the Arumughaswamy Commission, which recently submitted its report on its inquiry into the death of J Jayalalithaa, for an investigation against VK Sasikala and others has raised many an eyebrow in the state.
The State government said it would consult legal experts on the recommendation, but if it decides to order such an inquiry, it would be nothing but another investigation into Jayalalithaa’s death. As such, her death is likely to stay alive in the political arena of Tamil Nadu.
Moreover, there are reports that TN government might opt for forming a special investigation team (SIT) headed by a retired police officer for this inquiry. The government, however, is yet to confirm it. Meanwhile, Sasikala and the others are yet to react to the commission’s recommendation for an inquiry against them.
DMK’s promise
When MK Stalin was the Leader of the Opposition, he had promised the people that the DMK, if it came to power, would clear the mysteries surrounding Jayalalithaa’s death. He had accused the then AIAD MK regime of keeping her treatment at a Chennai hospital under a cloak of secrecy. Stalin had also called the Arumughaswamy Commission an eye wash.
Senior journalist GC Shekhar is of the view that the DMK government should reject the recommendation for a further inquiry against VK Sasikala and the others and bring a closure to this issue. “After the death of Jayalalithaa, public sentiment was against Sasikala and O Panneerselvam exploited it by raising suspicions about the circumstances of her death.
The commission was formed in the wake of this for political reasons. Deposing before the commission, however, Panneerselvam later said he had no such suspicion and that he was merely reflecting the views of the public. The commission should have asked for a report from the AIIMS doctors long back and come to a conclusion,” he added.
However, Kovai K Selvaraj, AIADMK spokesperson supporting O Panneerselvam, has a different view. He told TNIE: “Sasikala has no role in the treatment given to Jayalalithaa. But, the doctors of the hospital, the then health minister, and the then chief secretary had decided on the treatment given to Jayalalithaa for 75 days. So, they should be questioned to know what had happened at the hospital. They should have taken Jayalalithaa abroad for treatment, but failed to do that.”
‘Post-panel probe no use’
Political analyst Tharasu Shyam opined that most inquiry commissions in the past were a waste of time and energy, and a post-commission inquiry would result in the same. “I believe that there is no mystery surrounding Jayalalithaa’s death.
If another inquiry is ordered as per the recommendation, it will only keep alive the suspicions surrounding Jayalalithaa’s death for more years, and the DMK may use it as a political issue to weaken the AIADMK further; the Kodanadu heist issue is already haunting the AIAD MK,” he added.
DMK spokesperson V Kannadasan told TNIE that a commission of inquiry cannot investigate like police do. It can go only by the affidavits and statement of people appearing before it. “Now, the government can form a special investigation team to investigate the matter or take some other appropriate decision on the recommendation of the commission.”