Video shows Jayalalithaa being pushed away from MGR's funeral car

The social media is abuzz with a video clip that shows a young Jayalalithaa, who died Monday night, being pushed away from the gun-carriage which was part of the funeral procession of MG Ramachandran.

Although the authenticity of the video is not verified, Jayalalithaa had, in an interview to India Today in 1988, clarified what really happened on that day. she had said that was a painful day in her life.

The AIADMK's Propaganda Secretary, the glamorous Jayalalitha Jayaram, then 38, had stood mournfully for 21 hours in a white sari by MGR's body as May in state at Rajaji Hall. Suddenly she was assaulted - hit on the forehead by MGR's wife Janaki Ramachandran's nephew, Deepan, a budding film actor - when she tried to get on to the gun-carriage bearing MGR's body at the start of the funeral procession. Unable to accompany the procession, she rode home in her Contessa, escorted by soldiers. And crowds of party workers and leaders, including MPs and MLAs, started pouring in. The crowds continued the following day. With devout party leaders swearing to stand by her in her claim to be the successor to MGR as party leader.

"I wanted to place a wreath on his body when it was placed on the gun-carriage. The soldiers were kind enough to assist me to do that. I also wanted to join the funeral procession and board the gun-carriage which the soldiers were helping me to do," she described.

"As I was climbing the carriage, I heard shouts behind and saw MLA Dr. K.P. Ramalingam advancing menacingly towards me. Immediately, a young man in a blue shirt, who I was subsequently told was Tamil film actor Deepan, Janaki's younger brother's son, jumped on to the gun-carriage, hit me on the forehead and pushed me out. The armed forces personnel tried to help me back on top of the carriage, and again Deepan pushed me, beat me, and threw me out. I was injured and bruised all over my body.

"I was disgusted with this uncouth behaviour and the unparliamentary language used by Deepan and Ramalingam. I decided, much against my conscience, not to attend the funeral and came away," she said.

Watch the video that has been surfacing on the internet ever since the news of the death of AIDMK leader hit the headlines.