While the health condition of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa continues to be a matter of suspense, the administration is leaving no unturned to keep a check on rumour mongers. The cyber security experts are keeping a constant vigil on the social media, identifying and punishing people accused of spreading ‘misinformation about her. Meanwhile, more than 50 criminal cases have been filed in the last few weeks.
Official statements from her party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and health bulletins from the Apollo Hospitals, wherein the ailing leader is undergoing treatment, have been the only sources of information.
However, it has been six days since a medical bulletin on Jayalalithaa’s health was released.
According to NDTV, more than eight people have been arrested for spreading misinformation about the chief minister.
Two bank officials were the recent ones to be arrested when they were overheard enquiring about Jayalalithaa’s health from an AIADMK worker.
Meanwhile, an AIADMK councillor and a party worker from opposition party DMK were admitted in a hospital in Coimbatore late Sunday night, after they nearly came to blows during an argument over Jayalalithaa’s health.
Lingadurai, the DMK worker, reportedly made some critical remarks against Jayalalithaa, sparking a duel, PTI reported.
Several prominent VIPs have been visiting Apollo Hospital to enquire about her health. At least eight of Jayalalithaa’s portfolios have been allocated to her trusted aide and finance minister O Paneerselvam.
The AIADMK spokespersons have been claiming that their leader is recovering fast, sometimes even saying that ‘Amma’, as she is popularly called, is reading newspapers.
