TTV feigns ignorance on video leak

CHENNAI: A day after video of former chief minister

J Jayalaithaa

in hospital triggered a debate, rebel AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran, who had remained incommunicado, said on Thursday that his aide P Vetrivel had released the video without his knowledge. While he had given the video to Vetrivel, he had not given him permission to release it, Dhinakaran said.

Dhinkaran

added that he was disappointed as the video should not have been out in the public domain. "In March, Vetrivel requested me to give the footage, claiming he had already spoken to Chinnamma."

TTV leaps to Vetrivel defence, says he stood by Sasikala even after his disqualification

Speaking to reporters an hour after the R K Nagar bypoll ended, Dhinakaran said, “I gave him. I got to know about the release only upon seeing thetelevision visuals.” He said it was a private video shot by Sasikala after the former chief minister moved out of ICU ward in November and at the request of the latter to know how she looked.

“Later, I checked with Vetrivel but he said he released the footage due to mental agony over the charges levelled against our present leader,” Dhinakaran said.

Sasikala’s niece, who isin the electoral fray as an independent candidate said, the ministers, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and headquarters officebearers of the party were aware of the existence of the footage. Dhinakaran said that despite requests to release the media by the functionaries in the past, neither he nor Sasikala keen on to release as the leader was in night wear.

While a section of his family took strong objection and demanded action against Vetrivel for maligning the former CM and Sasikala, Dhinakaran retorted: “For me and Krishnapriya (Ilavarasi’s daughter, who expressed strong condemnation of the release of the video ), Sasikala is chinnamma. For Vetrivel, she is general secretary. Even after being disqualified, he stands by her and sacrifices a lot to reclaim the party. If co-existed with the government, he would have benefited. How can he be faulted?” Flanked by the disqualified MLAs, Dhinakaran said Vetrivel did not do it for self-interest.

The leader said he would have handed out the footage to the commission of inquiry probing the death of Jayalalithaa to check the authenticity, if summoned. And even would have sought permission of election commission before releasing to the media. “After the death of Amma, the DMK was all out todefame our chinnamma by charging her with murder. All ministers, headquarters office bearers and even Madhusudanan (party presidium chairman and AIADMK candidate for R K Nagar) wanted to release the video, but our chinnamma said there was no need to fear as we did no wrong. It was only when she went to prison, I asked her the footage as it would be required anytime,” he said.