The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Tamil Nadu): Senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar on Saturday condemned BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai for his controversial remark that the late Jayalalithaa was a “far superior Hindutva leader.” Jayakumar asserted that Jayalalithaa, fondly known as ‘Amma’, was a leader for people of all faiths.
V K Sasikala, a close confidante of Jayalalithaa, also criticized Annamalai, stating that his comments reflected his “ignorance” and “flawed understanding” of the former chief minister. Jayakumar, who served as a minister in the previous AIADMK government, emphasized that Jayalalithaa treated all religions equally and was a leader for everyone, regardless of their faith.
Jayakumar accused Annamalai of making the statement for political gain and trying to create an identity for himself in Tamil Nadu by associating Jayalalithaa with Hindutva. He condemned this act as an attempt to tarnish her reputation. Jayakumar highlighted Jayalalithaa’s efforts to maintain peace and support minority communities during her tenure as Chief Minister, especially after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992. He noted her initiatives like providing free rice to mosques during Ramadan and financial aid to Christians for pilgrimages to Jerusalem.
“She had been firm in making no compromises in respecting the religious beliefs of people belonging to all faiths and in protecting them all,” Jayakumar said. He affirmed that Jayalalithaa’s legacy as a leader for people of all religions would remain a significant part of Tamil Nadu’s history.
Sasikala reiterated that Jayalalithaa transcended caste and religious barriers, gaining respect from all sections of society. She stressed that Jayalalithaa was regarded as a leader by Hindus, Muslims, and Christians alike, and should not be narrowly labeled. “Such a tall leader cannot be brought under a specific, narrow tag,” Sasikala stated on social media platform ‘X’.
In a May 23 interview with PTI, Annamalai remarked, “Till Jayalalithaaji was alive, she was a far superior Hindutva leader than anybody in Tamil Nadu. Pre-2014, when you have a party like the BJP and Jayalalithaa as a leader, the natural choice of a Hindu voter would be Jayalalithaa, who displayed her Hindu identity openly.” He claimed that the BJP was filling the political void in Tamil Nadu left by Jayalalithaa’s passing.