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=== 1995 Foster son and luxury wedding corruption === | === 1995 Foster son and luxury wedding corruption === | ||
In 1995, Jayalalithaa's assistant | In 1995, Jayalalithaa's assistant Sasikala's nephew Sudhakaran was engaged to the youngest daughter of Sivaji Ganesan. Jayalalithaa was a chief minister of state by this time. Jaya declared that Sudhakaran would be adopted as her foster son and said that she would be performing his marriage as his mother.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="tnmfoster">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/once-jayalalithaas-favoured-foster-son-sudhakaran-now-refused-entry-apollo-50968|title=Once Jayalalithaa's favoured foster son, Sudhakaran now refused entry into Apollo|website=thenewsminute.com|access-date=7 August 2020}}</ref> | ||
The wedding occupied a 2-km long lighted baraat pathway, ten dining halls each accommodating 25,000 people, and a 75,000 square foot pandal. Tons of plywood, paris plaster and paint were used to erect cut-outs of Jayalalitha, arches, several hundred papier-mache statues, elaborate facades of palaces and gateways. The VIP invitations included a silver plate enclosed in a container, a silk saree and a silk dhoti, each worth ₹20,000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/story/19950930-jayalalithas-foster-son-married-off-amid-extravagance-and-controversy-808220-1995-09-30|title=Jayalalitha's foster son married off amid extravagance and controversy|last=SHEKHAR|first=G. C.|date=30 September 1995|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref> The marriage hosted more than 1,000 VIPs. More than 40,000 guests were granted accommodation in the hotel. A legion of elephants and chefs brought in from Kerala.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/jayalalithaa-lied-she-spent-3-crores-on-foster-sons-wedding-says-court-674500|title=Jayalalithaa Lied, She Spent 3 Crores on Foster Son's Wedding, Says Court|website=NDTV.com|access-date=7 August 2020}}</ref> The incident, hailed as "the mother of all marriages". People's anger mounted against her as the crores were lavished at the wedding, and Jayalalithaa and Sassikala became symbols of corruption. She was accused of using government money to celebrate the grand marriage.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-38441705|title=Sasikala: The 'new mother' of Tamil Nadu politics|date=29 December 2016|work=BBC News|access-date=7 August 2020|language=en-GB}}</ref> The marriage may have triggered the AIADMK to lose all 39 Lok Sabha seats in the [[1996 general election]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Disowned-foster-son-joins-Jaya-in-prison/articleshow/43760402.cms|title=Disowned foster son joins Jaya in prison {{!}} Chennai News – Times of India|last=TNN|date=29 September 2014|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> | The wedding occupied a 2-km long lighted baraat pathway, ten dining halls each accommodating 25,000 people, and a 75,000 square foot pandal. Tons of plywood, paris plaster and paint were used to erect cut-outs of Jayalalitha, arches, several hundred papier-mache statues, elaborate facades of palaces and gateways. The VIP invitations included a silver plate enclosed in a container, a silk saree and a silk dhoti, each worth ₹20,000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/story/19950930-jayalalithas-foster-son-married-off-amid-extravagance-and-controversy-808220-1995-09-30|title=Jayalalitha's foster son married off amid extravagance and controversy|last=SHEKHAR|first=G. C.|date=30 September 1995|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref> The marriage hosted more than 1,000 VIPs. More than 40,000 guests were granted accommodation in the hotel. A legion of elephants and chefs brought in from Kerala.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/jayalalithaa-lied-she-spent-3-crores-on-foster-sons-wedding-says-court-674500|title=Jayalalithaa Lied, She Spent 3 Crores on Foster Son's Wedding, Says Court|website=NDTV.com|access-date=7 August 2020}}</ref> The incident, hailed as "the mother of all marriages". People's anger mounted against her as the crores were lavished at the wedding, and Jayalalithaa and Sassikala became symbols of corruption. She was accused of using government money to celebrate the grand marriage.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-38441705|title=Sasikala: The 'new mother' of Tamil Nadu politics|date=29 December 2016|work=BBC News|access-date=7 August 2020|language=en-GB}}</ref> The marriage may have triggered the AIADMK to lose all 39 Lok Sabha seats in the [[1996 general election]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Disowned-foster-son-joins-Jaya-in-prison/articleshow/43760402.cms|title=Disowned foster son joins Jaya in prison {{!}} Chennai News – Times of India|last=TNN|date=29 September 2014|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> | ||