Flogging the dead: Hindu editorial and inquiry panel report on Jayalalithaa’s death

Sometimes, only a thin line separates the use of power from its abuse. Political calculation, not medical sentiment or public interest, went into the establishment of a commission of inquiry to inquire into the circumstances that led to Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa passes away in December 2016. To ease the process of re-integrating himself with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) after a period of isolation, former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam put a precondition for his return – an inquiry into the death of A Jayalalithaa. Edappadi K. of AIADMK. Palaniswami to accept because the alleged adversary – VK Sasikala, Jayalalithaa’s aide – was a common enemy. Thus, in September 2017 A. Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry (COI) was constituted. The first sign of trouble in this postmortem deconstruction was when the Apollo Hospitals, where Jayalalithaa was treated till her death, claimed that the COI was seeking to rectify the criminal intent. from the hospital. The hospital approached the Madras High Court, stating that the COI was not qualified to examine the correctness of the treatment, and suggested, as it did to the COI in 2018, that a medical board be constituted to assist the judge. Come on, but it was rejected. The Supreme Court stayed the proceedings before the COI in April 2019. In 2021, the Supreme Court favored the formation of a medical panel from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences to advise the COI. The panel, which submitted its report earlier this month, agreed with the hospital’s contention that Jayalalithaa had a variety of ailments, for which she was given proper and proper treatment, and her treatment with a final diagnosis it was done.

After several elaborations, the COI finally submitted its report on 27 August. Recommended that the government investigate the role of some people including Sasikala, who had not previously testified in person. Interestingly, Mr. Panneerselvam, who is responsible for the COI, also delayed his statement till March this year and remained largely non-committal even after appearing. Obviously, the political advantage provided by the Commission for the AIADMK was no longer relevant. In the medieval period, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam took over the reins of the state. It would now lack the foresight to whip the issue beyond death, and there would be a new low mark in politics. The government would do well to put an end to this non-issue forever. No political mileage can be derived from this report.