Tens of thousands of Indians mourn the death of Jayalalithaa, "mother" of Tamil Nadu
After a long illness, the chief minister died at the age of 68. A former Bollywood actress, she was famous for her extravagance, as well as her social programmes and food aid for the poor. Corruption charges also hung over her, “but this normal in Indian politics”.
Chennai (AsiaNews) – Jayalalithaa Jayaraman, chief minister of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, died on Sunday in Chennai’s Apollo Hospital. She had been hospitalised for the past two months.
Upon hearing about the death of their ‘amma’ (mother), tens of thousands of people took to the city’s streets.
A former Bollywood actress and famous for her extravagance, the 68-year-oldJayalalithaa was one of India’s most beloved political leaders of all time.
"She was a great leader,” some Indian Catholics told AsiaNews. “She was brave, tenacious, and was able to help the poor in very concrete ways."
"As a woman, she did not have an easy life in India,” another Catholic source said. “But she always fought. After every defeat, she rose up again, becoming a reference point for many other women."
The Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council (TNBC) and that the Tamil Nadu Latin Bishops’ Council (TNLBC) expressed their deepest condolences. In a message released today, they said that thanks to her charisma Jayalalithaa "managed to draw thousands, winning the hearts of the people" by promoting various social programmes in favour of the poor and the indigent.
The State of Tamil Nadu declared seven days of mourning. Wrapped in the Indian flag, the casket with Jayalalithaa’s body lay in state all day on the steps of Rajaji Hall. The funeral was held at 4:30 pm (local time).
"From the first morning rays, her supporters came from all over the city to give her a final farewell," a source told AsiaNews. “People waited for hours and hours, creating a six-kilometre line, to show their love for her.”
Amma was born in 1948 in the village of Melukote, Karnataka. At the age of two years she lost her father, a lawyer who had squandered the family’s fortune even before her birth.
As a child, she distinguished herself in school, and began acting at the age of 13. In her movie career, she appeared in more than 140 films, often alongside MG Ramachandran, who later became her political mentor, bringing her into the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (AIADMK) party.
In 1989, she took over the party, the first woman to head the opposition in Tamil Nadu. In 1991 she became chief minister, the first of five mandates (2001, 2002, 2011 and 2015).
Under her leadership, the State was transformed from one of the poorest to one of the top five in terms of social and economic development as well as security.
For some nuns in Chennai, Amma "helped the poor, students and the needy, by applying lower prices for those in difficulty."
Another source noted that "Jayalalithaa is praised by most people because she delivered goods and services at controlled prices. For example, she founded a chain of restaurants, hotels, canteens – all under the name of 'Amma' – that offers low-cost meals and housing. A breakfast, which on average costs 30 rupees (US$ 0.45), goes for 10 rupees at her eateries.”
During her political career, Amma did not only generate sympathy and affection; she also made quite a few enemies. First of all, she faced off her main opponent, Muthuvel Karunanidhi, with whom she took turns to lead the State.
"She was [also] indicted several times but this normal in Indian politics,” a source said. Her expensive tastes (10,000 saris and 750 pairs of shoes found during an inspection in 1996), and corruption charges stemming from gifts offered during election campaigns (thousands of computers given to students) have led to sharp criticism from the opposition.
Despite this, the source noted, "it is undeniable that she was a great leader. Everyone loved her and will mourn her passing."
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