Jaya a mass leader: Speaker

Both Houses of Parliament adjourned for the day after obituary reference

Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other members of the Lok Sabha stand in silence on Tuesday.

Parliament paid homage to Jayalalithaa on Tuesday. Both Houses adjourned for the day in memory of the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, who died in Chennai on Monday night.

In the obituary reference in the Lok Sabha, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan described Jayalalithaa as a true leader of the masses.

“Selvi Jayalalithaa served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for six terms. She was also member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for seven terms. She was the first woman Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. She was also a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1984 to 1989,” the Speaker said.

Ms. Mahajan said Ms. Jayalalithaa’s followers fondly called her

Amma , meaning mother, and Puratchi Thalaivi, meaning revolutionary leader.

“A multi-faceted personality, Selvi Jayalalithaa was an accomplished classical dancer and successful actress who acted in over 140 Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films. In her demise, the country has lost a highly popular, courageous and eminent political leader,” she said.

The House observed silence as a mark of respect.

In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Hamid Ansari read out the obituary reference. “I have to refer with profound sorrow to the passing away of Ms. J. Jayalalithaa, a former Member of this House and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, on the 5th of December, 2016, at the age of 68,” he said. “An accomplished and prolific artiste, Ms. Jayalalithaa contributed immensely to the Tamil, Telugu and Kannada film industry. Ms. J. Jayalalithaa represented the State of Tamil Nadu in this House from April 1984 to January 1989 ... She was an eminent public figure and a charismatic personality.”

Immense contributions

He said: “As Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, her contributions to the economic development of the State and the social welfare of the poorer segments will long be remembered and cherished. Her death is an irreparable loss to the people of India. In the passing away of Ms. J. Jayalalithaa, the country has lost a prominent leader, a distinguished parliamentarian and an able administrator.”

The members observed silence and then the House was adjourned for the day.