Chennai: High drama prevailed outside the Poes Garden residence of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Wednesday after the Chennai police refused to allow a group of TTV Dhinakaran’s supporters led by Perambur MLA P. Vetrivel to perform “some ritual” inside the bungalow.
Vetrivel and former MLA V.P. Kalairajan argued with police on why they are not being allowed inside the Poes Garden residence to perform ‘thithi’ (ritual) for Jayalalithaa this month when they had performed it several months earlier.
Police told the leaders that they cannot be allowed inside the residence since the premises came under the scanner of the income tax department very recently. After police put their foot down saying that they will not be allowed inside, Vetrivel alleged, “Why are we not being allowed? We have been conducting the ritual every month and suddenly we are not being allowed now? This is the handiwork of this government”.
He said the TTV camp had no issues with the Poes Garden residence into a memorial for Jayalalithaa, but they cannot bar the entry of people.
Speaking to reporters at the Chennai Airport, Dhinakaran echoed the sentiments expressed by Vetrivel. “Only two rooms have been sealed and the I-T sleuths took only a few pen drives and computers. To give an impression that the entire premises was sealed is wrong. We don’t understand why the Chief Minister is disallowing us from entering the residence?” he asked and sought to know why he allowed I—T sleuths to enter the “temple of Amma.”
When asked who “controls” the Poes Garden residence, Dhinakaran said, “There is nothing called control. Staff who had assisted Amma stay there since February 14 when Chinnamma left. Nobody else,” he added.
