Karunanidhi passes away: DMK leaders want supremo to be buried in Anna Memorial

On Tuesday afternoon, as hundreds of cadres waited outside the Kauvery hospital in Chennai with a sunken feeling, Karunanidhi was declared dead by Kauvery hospital officials. Sources reported that his 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 regarding his funeral.

His family had one request that Tamil Nadu’s tallest leader Kalaignar should be laid to rest, and his memorial built next to his mentor Anna’s samadhi at the Anna square on Marina beach. However, an official statement from CM Palaniswami is awaited. Karunanidhi being a lifelong atheist, it will be a thing to reckon how his family chooses to bid him a farewell.

The CM of Tamil Nadu, maintained that no former Chief Minister had been buried at Anna square, only Chief Ministers who died, including Annadurai, MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa had 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 CM offered the place, DMK wanted Karunanidhi’s memorial next to the other Dravida Nadu icons.

DMK leader and principal secretary Duraimurugan gave an official statement to the media, “We had met CM and submitted a request for a ‘Samadhi’ near Anna memorial, he had accepted our request then, but has not communicated anything in this regard till now.”

The Chief Minister also raised the issue that there were at least three Public Interest Litigations before the Madras High Court which said that building memorials at Marina were against the Coastal Regulation Zone rules. Just before this meeting, the pleas in the court had been withdrawn, and the Madras HC has declared them as withdrawn. However, sources in DMK insist that the CM doesn’t want to be involved in legal hassles. Karunanidhi’s son Stalin has requested cadres to maintain peace and not indulge in violence.

The News Minute reports that many more meetings followed through the day. DMK leaders and the CM held talks with the Chief secretary. There were also meetings between the CM and PWD officials and other advisors.

Family members have revealed to sources that there was no word yet from the government on whether the DMK patriarch’s memorial can be built at Anna square.

Karunanidhi’s body will first be taken to Kanimozhi’s home at CIT colony, then to Gopalapuram residence, and finally to Rajaji Hall where the public will be allowed to pay their final respects.