Expats celebrate Jayalalithaa’s acquittal

(My article in The Gulf Today)
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SHARJAH: The acquittal of a powerful political leader in Tamil Nadu, south India, in a 19-year-old disproportionate assets case pushed several Tamil expatriates in the UAE into a celebratory mode on Monday.
However, there were also stray voices of disappointment over the verdict with regard to the former chief minister of the state, J. Jayalalithaa. 
“For me, it is a mixed feeling,” says P. Subramanian, an insurance professional. “Here is a popular leader who has done several good things for poor people. I am against corruption at all levels, but always felt that this case has no strong basis.” 
According to him, “Amma Vunavagam,” or popular eateries for the poor, is one great scheme that has gained the leader enormous goodwill from the people. “It is divine intervention that she has been freed as her followers have been praying for her acquittal,” he insists.
For S. Punyamurthy, advertising consultant, the news came as a huge pleasant surprise. “I have lots of friends back home who are her supporters. I have been on phone so long talking with them and celebrating this news that I forgot about an important business meeting,” he points out. 
Punyamurthy is happy that decks have now been cleared for the return of the AIADMK party supremo as Tamil Nadu chief minister. “The conditions in our state were improving when this case proved to be a distraction. Now I am sure there is good scope for development of Tamil Nadu as one of the best states in the country.”
A driver with a private construction company, Siddiq, says he became very happy when he heard the news. “My sympathies were always with Jayalalithaa as I noticed that she introduced some outstanding schemes to help the poor.”
Nevertheless, not all feel the same way. 
“The clean and clear verdict that Jayalalithaa has got from the Karnataka high court is only a reflection of the rot that has set in the judicial system of our country,” reacts Vijayalakshmi Nadar, a media professional. 
“She has only benefitted from an inefficient system wherein the high court itself finds no merit in the investigations and the trial by the lower courts that has spanned over almost two decades and summarily dismisses it off, leaving no room for even an appeal,” she points out. 
According to Vijayalakshmi, special courts to handle such high-profile cases with time-bound decisions are the need of the hour.
S. Natarajan, who works as a sales representative in foodstuff company, is also unhappy with the verdict. 
“Rules should not discriminate between rich and poor people. I am not sure whether justice has been done in this case. My only argument is that truth should prevail.”