Jaya Commission report is 'one-sided' and 'politically motivated': Ex-Minister

Former Tamil Nadu health minister C Vijayabaskar on Monday termed as “politically motivated” and “one-sided” the Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission report which has recommended action against him in connection with the hospitalization and death of J Jayalalithaa in 2016.

Vijayabaskar, a senior AIADMK leader, is among the four persons – others being V K Sasikala, Jayalalithaa’s personal physician Dr K S Sivakumar, and then Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan – who have been “found at fault” by the Commission, whose report was tabled in the Assembly last week.

Also Read: Commission names Sasikala, says investigation into Jayalalithaa's death must be ordered

“Amma (Jayalalithaa) is like God for us, and the Commission’s report is nothing but a bundle of lies. Nothing that the Commission says in its report is true. The report is one-sided and the findings and recommendations are politically motivated. I reject all allegations made against me in the report,” Vijayabaskar said, breaking his silence on the issue.

He also said the treatment provided by doctors at Apollo Hospitals to Jayalalithaa received the nod from a team of AIIMS doctors. Vijayabaskar also took objection to Radhakrishnan’s name in the report, saying he is an “honest officer” and pointing a finger of suspicion at him was wrong.

“I will challenge the findings legally and I will face the charges against me legally. I have no fear as I have nothing to hide,” Vijayabaskar said.

He was responding to a recommendation from the Commission seeking an inquiry against him and three others for not acting on the advice of doctors, including the suggestion to perform an angiogram and cardiac surgery on Jayalalithaa. Sasikala also rejected the Commission’s report and asserted that she was ready to face any inquiry regarding Jayalalithaa’s death.

Meanwhile, Sasikala’s nephew and AMMK chief T T V Dhinakaran said a CBI inquiry should be instituted to find out the reason behind the Commission report being “one-sided” and raising unnecessary and invalid questions about the treatment provided to Jayalalithaa.

Also Read: 'Government doctors never consulted on Jayalalithaa's treatment,' says panel

Dhinakaran, who said Sasikala had no role in deciding the treatment provided to Jayalalithaa, also said the Commission’s report casting aspersions on doctors do not bode well as political leaders will be scared to get admitted in hospitals.

The Commission has blamed Sasikala and the three others mentioned for not acting on medical advice rendered by doctors, including Richard Beale who flew from London, and Stuart Russell from the US, to shift Jayalalithaa abroad for treatment and to perform an angiogram and a “life-saving” cardiac surgery on her.

It also suggested that the treatment and entire hospitalisation period of Jayalalithaa was shrouded in secrecy and rejected the contention of a board of doctors from AIIMS which agreed with the treatment protocol.

The Commission, over five years, examined 154 persons including politicians, bureaucrats, doctors, and others. It couldn’t function for over two years due to a case filed by Apollo Hospitals against its jurisdiction.