Orphaned” AIADMK cadre are in a nerve-wrecking suspense with prayers on their lips and eyes and ears focused on Karnataka High Court that will decide if Jayalalithaa freed from jail on Tuesday.
Tamil Nadu has been on the boil with AIADMK workers hitting the streets, the Opposition DMK nervously patient and the BJP hopeful of gaining from emerging political situation. On the ground passions are high. Some 30 deaths variously ascribed to suicides, heart attacks and self immolation have been reported since Amma went to jail on September 27.
The AIADMK cadre is in an aggrieved mood following the conviction and sentencing of party general secretary J Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate asset case. Street corner meetings, road rokos, hartals and bandhs have become routine affairs though Chennai and other major cities remain peaceful. The AIADMK cadre has organised yaagams, poojas, and homams in the name of Jayalalithaa to propitiate God for her speedy release. Jayalalithaa has been imprisoned since September 27 in the central prison at Parappana Agrahara in Bangalore.
Frontal organisations of the AIADMK in sectors like education, film, arts, culture, agriculture and industry have been organising demonstrations on a daily basis. Tuesday will see a day long fast by AIADMK cadre to protest against the demand by senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy to the President of India to dismiss the AIADMK Government in Tamil Nadu.
“This is an anti-democratic demand to subvert a democratically elected Government,” said Avadi Kumar, official spokesman of the AIADMK. He said the AIADMK cadre are protesting all over the State without causing any inconvenience to the general public. “The demand to dismiss the Tamil Nadu Government and bring the State under Presidential Rule has been done with ulterior motive. We will not allow such things in Tamil Nadu,” said Kumar.
Though the private schools and higher educational institutions had decided to observe a day’s closedown on Tuesday, the organisers made a hasty retreat following widespread discontentment from various sections of the society against such a move.