By Jose Kavi

New Delhi: The Catholic bishops’ office that deals with Dalit and Backward communities in India has mourned the death of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

“Dalit Christians lost their sincere and ardent supporter, Dr. J. Jayalalithaa,” says the condolence message from the Office for Dalits and Backward classes under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.

Jayalalithaa died December 5 following a cardiac arrest.

Her last rites were performed on December 6 and interred near the grave of her mentor M.G. Ramachandran in the northern end of the Marina beach in the Tamil Nadu capital of Chennai. Her funeral procession was one of the biggest Tamil Nadu has witnessed.

Jayalalithaa was “a great woman leader with confidence and courage,” says a December 6 condolence message from Fr. Devasagayaraj, secretary of the CBCI Office for the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes.

The priest pointed out that Jayalalithaa’s welfare schemes always benefited the poor and the marginalized. “She always stood for the social justice of the backward classes and the Dalits.”

Among her pro-poor programs included 69 percent reservation in government jobs and admission in educational institutions in Tamil Nadu for Dalits and other oppressed class people. She nominated for the first Dalit Christian to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament. She also appointed a Dalit Christian as a minister in her cabinet.

Fr. Devasagayaraj also acknowledged that Jayalalithaa constantly supported the Church’s demand for reservation for Dalit Christians. “In 2013 she wrote a very strong letter to the Central Government insisting that Dalit Christians should be included in the Scheduled Caste list,” he recalled.

She had also instructed parliament members of her party to raise questions on the scheduled caste status of the Dalit Christians in the house.

Jayalalithaa, an Indian actor-turned politician, served five terms as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, for over fourteen years between 1991 and 2016. From 1989 she was the general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK, progressive party of Dravidians). The party members revered her as their Amma (mother) and Puratchi Thalaivi (revolutionary leader).

On September 22, she was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, as she suffered from infection and acute dehydration. She was also said to be suffering from severe pulmonary infection and septicaemia, which were cured. On December 4, she was re-admitted to the critical care unit after she suffered a cardiac arrest.

The hospital released a press statement stating that her condition was “very critical” and that she was on life support. On December 5, the hospital officially announced her death at 11:30 pm.

The federal government declared a one day national mourning with the national flag in all government buildings flying at half-mast, while Tamil Nadu declared seven days of mourning. Her body was kept for public viewing in her residence in Poes Garden and Rajaji Hall.