Jayalalitha: Tamil film industry fasts for jailed politician
September 30, 2014 09:18 pm
The film industry in India’s Tamil Nadu state is on a day-long fast to protest against the jailing of former chief minister Jayaram Jayalalitha.
Jayalalitha has been jailed for four years for corruption and is in a Bangalore prison.
She has challenged her conviction and applied for bail. The Bangalore high court will hear her plea on Monday.
In a case lasting 18 years, she was found guilty of amassing unaccounted wealth of more than $10m (£6.1m).
In its ruling on Saturday, the special court in Bangalore also ordered her to pay a 1bn rupee ($16m; £10m) fine and resign as chief minister.
A former film actress, Jayalalitha is one of India’s most colourful and controversial politicians and has a huge following in Tamil Nadu.
On Tuesday, actors, directors and other members of the Tamil film industry began a day-long silent fast in the state capital, Chennai, to express “support and solidarity” for Jayalalitha.
All the cinemas are shut in the city until the evening and all film shoots have been cancelled for the day. - BBC
