My public life is like swimming in a river of fire: Jayalalithaa

Ruling AIADMK party general secretary and former Tamil Nadu chief minister J.Jayalalithaa Sunday said her public life is akin to swimming in a river of fire.

In a statement issued here a day after she was released from the Bangalore Central Jail on bail, Jayalalithaa said: "My public life is akin to swimming in a river of fire."

Jayalalithaa said she knew the kind of difficulties that she would face in her public life.

According to her, she is not worried about the challenges and problems she would encounter while journeying on the path of promoting people's welfare in Tamil Nadu.

"I have faced several challenges in my life. And I have come out of them successfully," she added.

Urging her supporters not to commit suicide for her welfare, she said: "I request with love that nobody should resort to suicide."

Thanking all her supporters for holding special prayers, Jayalalithaa said such gestures have moved her.

Announcing a solatium of Rs.300,000 to the families of the 193 persons who died after hearing the problems faced by her, Jayalalithaa also announced Rs.50,000 to the three who tried to commit suicide.

A special court Sep 27 convicted Jayalalithaa in the Rs.66.65-crore disproportionate assets case and sentenced her to four years simple imprisonment, with a fine of Rs.100 crore under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

She was released on bail Saturday.