MK Stalin seeks white paper on Jayalalithaa's treatment

CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin on Thursday urged the state and Central governments to come out transparently with the details on former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s treatment to clear the doubts raised by several sections of people. “Since doctors from AIIMS were involved in the treatment, the Centre should release the treatment details and the state government should come out with a white paper.” he told reporters here. Citing the demand of PMK founder S. Ramadoss for a white paper, Stalin said he fully supported it.

Reacting to a query by the media, Stalin said he did not want to politicise the issue, but doubts about treatment to her should be cleared. During the treatment itself, all the political parties had complained that there was no proper information about the treatment.

When former Chief Minister Anna was admitted to hospital, the then health minister Sadiq Batsha was issuing daily statements about the treatment. Similarly, when former Chief Minister MGR was being treated in hospital the then health minister H.V. Hande was making proper announcements. But, when Jayalalithaa was hospitalised, no statement was issued by the government and only the hospital was issuing medical bulletins.

Earlier, Ramadoss issued a statement demanding white paper on the treatment details of Jayalalithaa. After it was announced that Jayalalithaa had recovered, it was declared that she died of cardiac arrest, leading to doubts among the people and AIADMK cadre, he said and wanted the doubts to be cleared. He claimed that some senior leaders of the AIADMK who had contacted him expressed their doubts to him. Ramadoss added that AIADMK cadre who are meeting him at public functions too are requesting him to demand a probe into the treatment for Jayalalithaa. There was no transparency in the information given about Jayalalithaa's health during the 75 days she was in hospital, he said. Ramadoss said no one was allowed to meet Jayalalithaa and enquire about her health. Though, Governor, Union ministers, leaders from other states and parties visited Apollo, they were not allowed to meet her and even state ministers did not meet her.