Indians in Oman mourn the death of Jayalalithaa

Energy Monday 05/December/2016 23:22 PM
By: Times News Service
Indians in Oman mourn the death of Jayalalithaa

Muscat: Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa has died in Chennai, India, after a heart attack, the hospital treating her announced in a press release.
“It is with indescribable grief that we announce the sad demise of esteemed CM,” read the statement from the hospital.
Also read: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa dies of cardiac arrest
Jayalalithaa was readmitted to the critical care unit (CCU) of Chennai’s Apollo Hospital after she suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening.
Indian expatriates living in Oman are mourning her passing and security is tight across Tamil Nadu and the southern states of India. Already, there have been scenes of violence outside the hospital where she was being treated.
Currently serving her sixth term in office, she was adored by people in her state, and there is sure to be an emotional outpouring from parts of South India.
"Politically we might not have been on the same page but she's been an exemplary woman: an actress, politician and a strong woman in completely male dominated spheres," said Prashant, an expat residing in Muscat.
Other expats were also saddened by her demise. "I must say her death is a real big loss to the people of Tamil Nadu. RIP Jayalalithaa," said Gunasekar.
"It's really hard to hear the death of a person who’s been chosen as a leader to guide us," added Sathya, another expatriate working in the Sultanate.
However, there were others who were concerned about the wider political repercussions of her death.
“Jayalalithaa is no more, but more than her death, the feeling among the people at large is that they have no future without her and she is the only savior,” offered Sukiran. “She has seen many ups and downs in her career and I hope no untoward things happen in Tamil Nadu.”
“Since yesterday, I’ve been seeing so many messages put up by people on social media on Jayalalitha,” said Sandip Patil, an Indian immigrant in Oman. “Some were being sarcastic, almost as as if they were celebrating and happy about her worsening health condition.
“It’s really inhuman. Never rejoice someone's ill health or death. Jayalalithaa was one of India's most powerful women and a popular politician.”
Others, though were more skeptical of her.
“She is popular among the people of Tamil Nadu because she is a good administrator,” said one expat housewife who did not want to be named.
“She did not like dissent and did not forgive easily,” she added. “People, especially the poor, loved her for her largesse, but let us not forget that she also invited industries to Tamil Nadu.”
Her husband was more succinct: “To put it mildly, I am not a big fan of her,” was his only comment.
The state of Tamil Nadu was put on high alert after the Chief Minister had suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday. She’d been at the Apollo Hospital in the state capital of Chennai for two months, where she’d been undergoing treatment, and was being closely monitored by a team of expert doctors at the medical facility.
Jayalalithaa was only Tamil Nadu’s second female Chief Minister, and had begun her sixth term of office on the 23rd of May, 2016.