Jayalalithaa won't attend APJ Abdul Kalam's last rites due to 'health condition'

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said she won’t attend the funeral of former president APJ Abdul Kalam in Rameswaram on Thursday owing to “health condition”. [caption id=“attachment_2369042” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Jayalalithaa. PTI[/caption] “I have great affection and respect for Abdul Kalam. I would like to attend his funeral and pay my respects to him. However, owing to my health condition I am not in a position to travel,” she said in Chennai. Kalam’s funeral will be held in Rameswaram, around 600 km from Chennai. Finance Minister O Panneerselvam, Electricity Minister Natham R Viswanathan, Housing Minister R Vaithilingam and several other ministers will attend the funeral on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government. Jayalalithaa said as a mark of respect for Kalam, Thursday would be a public holiday in the state. She added that following a request from Kalam’s family, government land had been allotted for burying the mortal remains of the former president who died on Monday in Shillong. IANS