We lied about Jayalalithaa’s health, admits T.N. Minister Dindigul Srinivasan

Can produce footage of treatment given, says Dhinakaran.

Mortal remains of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa at Rajaji Hall in Chennai on December 6, 2016. Sasikala and O. Panneerselvam are also seen.

Apologising to the people of the State for having lied about the health status of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa while she was in Apollo Hospitals, in a sudden U-turn, Forest Minister Dindigul Srinivasan said that they were forced to do so, as they apprehended trouble from Sasikala and her family members.

Speaking at a public meeting organised to mark the centenary celebrations of late Chief Minister MGR here on Friday night, he said that the people, particularly the AIADMK cadre, should pardon them for having misled them since September 22, 2016.

The Minister admitted that all their claims like “Amma had

idli . She had tea and she smiled at the team of doctors,” were a bunch of lies.

During his 45-minute speech, the Minister attacked Sasikala’s family for reportedly denying everyone access to ‘Amma’.

With the Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami ordering a probe into Jayalalithaa’s demise as sought by O. Paneerselvam, the truth would be out soon, he added.

Reacting to the Minister’s comments, sidelined AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran told reporters at Kodagu in Karnataka that they have footage of Jayalalithaa getting treatment in hospital and would hand it over at “an appropriate time.”