Acquitted of all charges in the disproportionate assets case, AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa on Monday cautioned her political opponents to stop conspiring to end her political life, or decimate the “great party” founded by M.G. Ramachandran.
Stating that the Karnataka High Court verdict gave her “immense satisfaction” as it had cleared the slur on her public life and the charges levelled against her by the Opposition, she affirmed: “The verdict proves I’m completely innocent. And it has made me emerge as pure gold refined by fire.”
In her first statement to people after her conviction by a trial court last September, Ms. Jayalalithaa said she had always desired the well-being of the Tamils and vowed to work for their welfare always.
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However, she chose to remain inside her Poes Garden residence even as the cadre went into celebration mode outside her house and across the State. While everyone was waiting for her to make a public appearance, she issued a statement through the party headquarters.
“The DMK’s evil design had led to the case and justice slept for a while as and conspiracy and fate played their part. My political opponents who know they can’t defeat me directly should stop conspiring today,” she warned.
“It is not a victory for me personally. Justice and dharma have triumphed. Conspiracies may win temporarily but the truth always triumphs in the end,” she said.
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Recalls sacrifices
On the occasion she recalled the “sacrifices” of 234 party workers who had committed suicide from the time of her conviction, including four on Sunday, Ms. Jayalalithaa said had they been patient they might have celebrated with the rest of Tamil Nadu today.
She thanked the party workers, especially women and all the people of Tamil Nadu, who had prayed for her acquittal in the case.
Recalls the “sacrifices” of party workers who committed suicide from the time of her conviction