With rumours flying thick and fast and refusing to die down on Jayalalithaa’s health, the Wikipedia page of the Tamil Nadu CM was edited several times on a single night, with many users declaring her dead. The edits began at around 6 pm in the evening on Friday and went on till 3 in the morning of Saturday. While many of the edits included a death column which claimed that she died on Friday, some suggested she passed away on Saturday. The unauthorised edits were reported to the Wikipedia admin, and they were corrected later on.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was admitted to the Apollo hospital in Chennai for fever and dehydration on September 22, Thursday. According to medical bulletins and press statements issued by Apollo and the state government, she is recuperating and responding well to medicines. However, rumours are flying thick and fast, some of them alleging that the Chief Minister was critical and under observation. At the same time, the AIADMK cadres and Amma loyalists were seen performing special poojas in front of Apollo hospital on Friday, a no-moon day. Apart from this, several hundreds of cadres have been camping in front of the Apollo hospital on Greams road in Chennai, hoping to get a glimpse of their benevolent leader. Apparently, not even the cabinet ministers have had the opportunity to call on Amma, though statements have been issued by her from the hospital.
Reportedly, Dr Richard John Beale, Consultant Intensivist at the London Bridge Hospital and an expert in treating multiple organ failures, had visited Apollo to examine the Chief Minister. Sources in Apollo say that, on Friday, after concerns about her health and in the face of spiralling rumours, the hospital had to fly down Dr Richard from UK to assess her condition. Richard, an internationally renowned specialist, arrived late on Friday night. After examining the chief minister, he said that she was receiving the best course of treatment at the hospital. Further, Dr Richard said that he would be available for the next couple of days for consultation, along with the team of doctors treating her. But rumours refuse to die down as a specialist had been flown down from London just to examine and assess her health condition. However government sources maintain she is being closely monitored, under continuous observation, and would go back home soon.
On the other hand, Maharashtra Governor Vidya Sagar Rao, who holds additional charge as governor of Tamil Nadu, is scheduled to come down to Chennai on Saturday evening to visit the hospital and call on the Chief Minister. Union minister for urban development Venkaiah Naidu is also scheduled to visit along with the governor.
