Concern over Karunanidhi's health

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHENNAI, JULY 3. As the former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, spent his fourth day in the central jail here, there were concerns over his health condition though he was reported to be in ``good spirits.''

Political leaders and well-wishers continued to call on Mr. Karunanidhi, and the latest on his health condition was disclosed by his personal physician, Dr. Gopal.

Mr.Karunanidhi's blood pressure was `high' and ``he is definitely not in the peak of health.'' ``His legs are swollen and he cannot withstand this strain for long,'' Dr.Gopal said.

Pointing out that he had insisted on being present whenever a panel of doctors came to examine Mr.Karunanidhi, Dr.Gopal said he could now at best advise the prison doctors.

Mr. Karunanidhi's wife, Mrs. Dayalu Ammal, who met him for the second day, told reporters that her husband still complained of pain in the hands caused by his having been ``roughly lifted up'' by the police when he was arrested.

Doctors attending on Mr.Karunanidhi started giving physiotherapy on the advice of Dr.Gopal, and after an X-ray was taken, she said.

To a query, Mrs.Dayalu Ammal said her husband was not keen on moving the bail application today,``nor did we press him on this''. He looked up in disbelief ``when we informed him that the DMK cadres in Vellore had been released,'' she said, adding, ``mentally he is strong''. Mr. Karunanidhi, she said, was brought in a wheel-chair from his cell.

While a large number of well wishers and political leaders continue to throng the prison to see Mr. Karunanidhi, only a few are allowed to see him in the jail superintendent's room and not in his cell. The PMK founder, Dr. S. Ramadoss, was one of the surprise visitors today.

The PMK chief, who had quit the NDA well before the May Assembly elections and who has been pressing hard with the AIADMK Supremo, Ms.Jayalalithaa, for a Rajya Sabha seat for his party, did not see any political significance in his meeting with Mr.Karunanidhi.

``It is purely on humanitarian grounds that I came to see him as `Kalaignar' came to see me when I was lodged in the Vellore prison in 1995,'' Dr.Ramadoss told reporters waiting outside.

Dr.Ramadoss, to queries, said his party did not favour the Centre invoking Article 356 to tackle the situation which arose following the arrest of Mr.Karunanidhi and other DMK leaders. But he condemned as `barbaric' the manner in which the police arrested Mr.Karunanidhi after forcibly entering his Oliver road residence here at dead of night (wee hours of Saturday last).

The DPI organiser, Mr. R. Tirumavalavan, said the doctors panel suggested that Mr.Karunanidhi be taken to the General Hospital today for treatment, but the former Chief Minister declined on the ground that thousands of his party cadres were still in prison.

The Puthiya Tamizhagam president, Dr. K. Krishnasamy, and the Makkal Tamil Desam Katchi founder, Mr. S. Kannappan, said Mr. Karunanidhi was in ``good spirits''.

Others who visited him were the Thondar Congress leader, Mr. Kumari Ananthan, and the Tamil Pattali Makkal Katchi leader, Prof.Dheeran.

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Section  : Southern States
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