CHENNAI: In a major development, the Madras High Court on Wednesday allowed the burial of departed DMK leader M Karunanidhi near Anna Memorial at Chennai’s Marina beach – demand made by his party DMK but rejected by the incumbent Tamil Nadu government. After a late night hearing on the issue, the High Court had adjourned its decision till 8 am on Wednesday as the AIADMK government sought more time to file its reply on the issue.
The Tamil Nadu government turning down the DMK request for Marina burial triggered sharp criticism from several quarters in Tamil Nadu and beyond. The DMK claimed that the AIADMK’s refusal to give ”six-feet land” to bury the five-time chief minister next to his mentor CN Annadurai’s grave “reeks of pettiness and political vendetta”. The court, along with other public offices and institutions, remains closed as a mark of respect to the 94-year-old leader, who is considered the last Tamil Nadu politician with a mass following.
M Karunanidhi, DMK patriarch and five-time former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, died at 94 on Tuesday after battling for life at Kauvery Hospital in Chennai. Admitted to the hospital on July 18, the Tamil Nadu strongman, popularly known as Kalaignar, breathed his last at 6.10 pm on August 7, according to a press release by Kauvery Hospital
Karunanidhi’s mortal remains were brought to the Rajaji Hall on Wednesday morning. A large number of supporters gathered outside M Karunanidhi’s Gopalapuram residence and the Rajaji Hall where his mortal remains have been kept. The Chennai Police had to resort to mild lathi-charge to disperse the DMK supporters. DMK top leadership had appealed to the cadres to remain calm and stay away from any kind of violence. All top leaders of the country, including President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi etc have mourned the demise of the DMK stalwart.
Karunanidhi’s health began deteriorating significantly since Monday and in his last medical bulletin released on Tuesday evening, the hospital said that the leader “extremely critical and unstable”. It said that despite maximum medical support, his vital organ functions continued to deteriorate.
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