Jayalalithaa verdict: Decoding the cult of Amma

On 27 September 2014, when J Jayalalithaa was sentenced to four years in prison in the disproportionate assets case, there was an eerie silence in many parts of Chennai and people feared that there would be violence on the streets. While there was some unrest in parts of Tamil Nadu, the emotion that coursed through her loyalists was grief and sorrow. Ravi, a party loyalist, resorted to self-immolation on the day she was convicted – but he wasn’t the only one who tried to commit suicide. From holding prayers in temples, fasting and tonsuring their heads, to sitting outside the former chief minister's home for days and weeping, fans left no stone unturned to display their brand of 'love'.

J Jayalalithaa or Amma, as she is called (by many in affection and some in fear) is not the first politician in Tamil Nadu who has attained this cult status. It is not easy to dissect whether this is an image-building exercise that has been consciously honed over the years or if people in Tamil Nadu have always been emotionally attached towards their political leaders. Irrespective of how her brand has developed in the state, for many, Amma's name is also synonymous with doling out welfare sops.

Perhaps wanting to be seen as the saviour of the masses, Jayalalithaa has in the past, launched a range of welfare schemes for the poor. When the filmstar-turned-politician launched her Amma Canteens or Amma Unavagams - where for Rs 13, two meals could be had by anyone from an autorickshaw driver to an IT professional - she was seen as focussing on those who couldn’t afford one square meal due to the rising prices of vegetables and pulses. These budget canteens became such a huge hit that she then moved on to announce Amma branded water, salt, cement, pharmacies and so on. It’s no surprise then that subsidies constitute more than 37% of the state’s revenue spending.

In her days as a film star, Jayalalithaa was the larger-than-life beauty on screen who could move you to tears or delight - the same range of emotions that she invokes in the masses as a politician today as well. The masses may see her as a ‘Goddess who can avenge evil’, women in particular perceive her as a strong leader who has helped in the empowerment and development of women in the state, right from education to health. Thus, her political cadre includes a large contingent of women who look up to her. 

Like her or hate her, Amma has managed to hold her own in the political world, which has always been a strong male bastion. The AIADMK men see her as a no-nonsense leader who expects utmost discipline and loyalty. And sure, those who have displayed their loyalty have been amply rewarded with party posts etc. in the past.

Amma is not the first politician in the state to go to prison, but she is perhaps the first one who has seen such an outpouring of support from people in the state in recent times. Ask Rani, a house maid, about her thoughts on the Jaya verdict and she says, “Amma has done a lot of good for the poor. She’s my God, and doesn’t deserve to go to prison.” Such is the power of Amma.