Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa passed away at the Apollo Hospital at Chennai on 5 Dec at 11.30 PM after waging a grim battle for life since her hospitalisation on September 22. As tributes poured in from far and wide after the actress-turned-politicians’s death last night, the body of Jayalalithaa, which was draped in her favourite green colour saree, was taken from her Poes Garden residence early this morning to Rajaji Hall where tens of thousands of people queued up to have a last glimpse of their ‘Puratchi Thalaivi Amma’ (Revolutionary Leader Amma).The funeral will take place at 4.30 pm today at the Dr MGR Memorial site off Marina beach, the state government said in an official communication.
President Sh Pranab Mukherjee , Vice President Sh Hamid Ansari , Prime Minister Narendra Modi are among scores of political leaders who are headed to Chennai to pay tributes to the 68-year-old AIADMK chief. Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and his ministerial colleagues, MPs and MLAs and senior state government officials were among the first to pay homage to Jayalalithaa. Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Delhi , Madhya Pradesh are also headed to pay thier tributes. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is also going to Chennai to pay his homage.
The Centre declared a one-day state mourning today in view of the demise of Jayalalithaa.National flag on all government buildings across the country was flown at half-mast. All roads leading to Rajaji Hall grounds are bustling with crowds of people who did not mind taking a long walk with public transport, barring trains, remaining off the roads.
