Finally, it all makes sense. The death of former chief minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa was a mystery until UK-based intensivist, Dr Richard Beale addressed a press conference to throw more light on the illness that took the former CM to hospital and what led to her death. The mystery was caused more by the lack of information. From the time she was hospitalized on 22 September last year to the time of her death, a cloak of silence was thrown over her condition. All that the people of TN got were a few scraps of information and the mystery around her illness and death grew. Had Dr Beale to not intervene, the charge made by former AIADMK leader P M Pandian that Jayalalithaa was pushed and she fell to the ground before being admitted to hospital might have taken root. In the absence of credible information, people will believe anything thrown at them. And a mysterious plot will always catch the imagination.
Dr Beale told media persons that when the former chief minister was brought to the hospital she was suffering from sepsis and had difficulty breathing. Sepsis is a condition where the body’s response to an infection results in damage to its own tissue. The condition usually occurs in persons with weak immune systems and is considered dangerous and fatal. In addition, Jayalalithaa was also suffering from diabetes. She was given critical care and from there on it was an up-and-down journey. Given the stature and the hold she had on the imagination of her followers, media person wanted to know what she said, whom she spoke to and what were her last words? Dr Beale handled the questions with authority. As he spoke it became known that Jayalalithaa was unable to communicate through speech. She used gestures and formed words with her mouth so that others could read her lips. In the end it was a massive heart attack brought on by complicated medical conditions that claimed her life. On the issue of why she was not flown to the UK for better treatment Dr Beale said the question was whether she would have received treatment that was not available here and the considered opinion at that time was not to move her. More importantly, it was Jayalalithaa who voted against being moved.
This exercise of clearing the air should have been undertaken earlier, but now that it has been finally done, the matter should be laid to rest. Every possible angle of suspicion was tackled by Dr Beale with medical evidence and in the absence of any alternate proof to suggest foul play, there is little room for vested political interests to twist facts to their advantage. There was an element of curiosity over whether Jayalalithaa anointed Sasikala to be her heir, but this has been answered by the trust and faith placed in her leadership by the AIADMK, which is the legal entity for appointing leaders. It is now time for Tamil Nadu to accept the facts, let go of the past and move on.
