Did Amma try to politicise Chennai floods using posters?

While people from across the country have stepped up in doing their bit to provide relief to those affected by the floods in Chennai, the alleged politicisation of relief efforts by chief minister J Jayalalithaa and her party, the AIADMK, has outraged many people.

Several people on social media have alleged that relief material is being distributed in certain areas only when it carries a mandatory sticker with Jayalalithaa's face. Vehicles carrying relief material are also being stopped, allegedly by AIADMK goons, and stickers of Jayalalithaa forcibly pasted on them. The Tamil Nadu government seems to have a lot to answer for:

Stupidity at its peak ?????? dont knw wr TN is going shame on #Amma pic.twitter.com/3ZjohP9l75

— parthi (@parthisekar55) December 5, 2015

Amma stickers on relief material!!! #ChennaiRains pic.twitter.com/DfXezUky8W

— Priya Gupta (@priyaguptatimes) December 5, 2015

Reports of AIADMK activists stopping relief vans & forcing them to paste Amma stickers are true, a senior officer overseeing relief tells me

— T S Sudhir (@Iamtssudhir) December 5, 2015

In one case, a relief truck was stopped for over 4 hours because the AIADMK activists were waiting for Amma stickers to be printed, he said

— T S Sudhir (@Iamtssudhir) December 5, 2015

Dear people putting Jayalalitha's face on Chennai relief material - please go ahead and make her the brand ambassador of the rains as well.

— $ir^$ri^$ri Magal (@jhunjhunwala) December 4, 2015

Yesterday, @anantha on his own got power to Kamakshi Hosp, saved lives. Meanwhile, constant reports coming in of AIADMK “volunteers” 1/2

— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) December 5, 2015

2/2: … stopping relief trucks and forcibly sticking AMMA photos on trucks, materials. Best use of people’s time, @AIADMKOfficial ?! #shame

— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) December 5, 2015

In many places ReliefMatrials r cleard only aftr pastng Amma sticker-Competing wth #SoulVultures ? #ChennaiRainsHelp pic.twitter.com/JFiC3cyUfc

— HaindavaKeralam (@HKupdate) December 4, 2015

The AIADMK has reacted to the development by saying that "if any person finds any instance of a relief truck being stopped by AIADMK activists, please report to the police or Party head quarters."

AIADMK says if any relief trucks are stopped by AIADMK activists, report to police or party hq

— T S Sudhir (@Iamtssudhir) December 5, 2015

AIDMK react to goons posting Amma stickers on relief material #ChennaiFloods pic.twitter.com/pPcOPG68dx

— Sucheta Dalal (@suchetadalal) December 5, 2015

Earlier, Amma's supporters had caused outrage by putting out a poster depicting her as Shivagami from the movie Baahubali, thanking her for saving people from the floods.

See here! How do politicians make jokes about poor people. #ChennaiFloods pic.twitter.com/ZWXdCCLm3c

— KRK (@kamaalrkhan) December 4, 2015

Saw Amma holding baby photo, immediately forgave PIB photoshopped photo

— Rohan (@mojorojo) December 4, 2015

"Till Chennai airport is not functional , all airlines have been advised to land on Amma's belly" - Amma supporters

— Atul Khatri (@one_by_two) December 5, 2015