Where Will Karunanidhi Be Laid To Rest?

Chennai: After months of battling an infection, DMK supremo M Karunanidhi breathed his last at 6.10 pm this evening. Just minutes after his death, the focus shifted to some unpleasant politics. The ruling AIADMK and DMK parties have locked horns over finding a suitable place to bury the Dravidian stalwart. While Karunanidhi and the entire DMK is insisting on laying him to rest next to his mentor and one of the founders of Dravidian movement, Annadurai. The government is no mood to allocate the place.

It is known that Annadurai, MG Ramachandran and Jayalalitha were all laid to rest at Marina beach or Anna Square next to one another. Now, DMK supporters and Karunanidhi family have requested that he be laid to rest at the same place, and his memorial built next to his mentor Anna's samadhi.

Karunanidhi's sons MK Stalin and MK Alagiri, daughter Kanimozhi and senior leaders of the DMK party met Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami at his residence on Greenways Road to request him to have the resting place of Karunanidhi next to Annadurai. But the CM we hear hasn't agreed.

The simple reason being that no former CM has been buried at Anna square, only sitting Chief Ministers including Annadurai, MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa have memorials there. He also said that memorials for former Chief Ministers like K Kamaraj and Rajaji had been built at the Gandhi Mandapam in Guindy. Though the Tamil Nadu CM offered the place, DMK wanted Karunanidhi's memorial next to the other Dravidian icons.

The emotions of the DMK chief's followers are running high and will continue to be so till the funeral is completed. Already people are demanding the state government to allocate space to Karunanidhi at Anna Square. Though everyone is happy that no untoward incidents have happened after the death of Karunanidhi, this issue could rake up flares and turn into a controversy.

Meanwhile, Karunanidhi's family is hoping that they will get a confirmation by mid-night and everything will go as per the wishes of people.

Also Read: Karunanidhi, A Man With Several Feathers In His Cap

A major controversy erupted on Tuesday night after the Tamil Nadu government declined DMK's request to allot space for burying the mortal remains of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi near party founder C.N. Annadurai's memorial at the Marina Beach.

The party filed an urgent petition before acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court Kuluvadi Ramesh to press for a burial place on the Marina.

DMK workers resorted to violence after news broke out that Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan had declined the request due to legal issues.

The police had to use force to control the cadres even as Karunanidhi's body was shifted to his Gopalapuram residence.

According to Vaidyanathan, Chief Minister K. Palaniswami said two acres of land would be allotted for Karunanidhi's burial near Gandhi Mandapam on Sardar Patel Road which already houses memorials for K. Kamaraj and others.

Earlier, family members of Karunanidhi led by DMK working President M.K. Stalin and party officials met Palaniswami and sought space near Annadurai's memorial for burying Karunanidhi's body.

The government decision drew flak from opposition leaaders including MDMK's Vaiko, DMDK's Vijayakanth and PMK's S. Ramadoss, who favoured a memorial on the Marina Beach. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and the CPI(M) also joined the chorus.

Ramadoss urged the ruling party not to indulge in politics in this matter, saying the reason stated by the government is not acceptable.

Ramadoss said even when AIADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa was buried at the Marina Beach there were court cases pending. Her body was buried at the Marina Beach within the memorial of AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran.

He said Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for 19 years and his last rites should be done in a decent manner.

The mortal remains of AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran and his successor Jayalalithaa are buried near Annadurai's memorial on the Marina Beach.

A five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Karunanidhi died after battling age-related ailments at Kauvery Hospital on Tuesday evening.