CHENNAI: The crowd of mourners who attended former
Tamil Nadu chief minister
J Jayalalithaa’s
funeral
on Tuesday comprised not just AIADMK cadre, but urban youngsters who didn’t have any political inclination. They attended the funeral just to see the mortal remains of
Jayalalithaa who had inspired them.
Padma, 27, who works at a private bank, was in
Rajaji Hall
here without informing her parents as she didn’t want to make them worry about her. “Jayalalithaa’s life inspired me,” Padma said. “Her death has deeply upset me,” she said.
“It feels like a personal family loss,” said businessman Rahul. His wife said she admired the late chief minister from her childhood. It was the first time that their family had come for a public viewing of an expired leader.
A senior citizen, Arun Selvam, 64, who had attended the public viewing of MGR and Annadurai in the same hall, said the crowd was more than on the previous two occasions. “Today they are not just here for Jayalalithaa but also for the numerous welfare schemes she rolled out.”
There were several inconsolable women beating their chests and lying on the road. Some fainted due dehydration and exhaustion. Kanmani, an AIADMK member from Pulianthope, wept lying on the ground crying out “Amma….Amma…”