The nation grieved over the loss of the former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, who breathed his last in Kauvery hospital at 6.10 pm on August 7, people queued up in large numbers at Rajaji Hall in Chennai to pay their last respects on Wednesday.
Earlier, Karunanidhi’s body was brought to the stately Rajaji Hall from his CIT Nagar home for the public to pay homage to the former chief minister. M Karunanidhi’s body was draped in the Indian tricolor. Standing beside the mortal remains of the Dravidian stalwart were his relatives, including children MK Selvam, Kanimozhi and Stalin.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi who left for the funeral at around 7:50 am, arrived in the state capital to pay his last respects to the former Chief Minister, fondly addressed as “Kalaignar” (artiste).
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, senior state ministers, superstar Rajinikanth and his family, AMMK leader and RK Nagar legislator TTV Dhinakaran and actors Sivakarthikeyan, Dhanush were among the others who arrived to pay homage to Karunanidhi.
Palaniswami expressed his condolences to Karunanidhi’s family and DMK party workers and said that his death was a “big loss to Tamil Nadu”.
E Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam extended their condolences during a brief conversation with Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, Karunanidhi’s third son and working president of DMK.
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Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan was also in attendance at the funeral.
People arrived in large numbers with some of them raising slogans hailing their thalaivar (leader).
During the visit of the AIADMK delegation, ‘Need for Marina’ chants of supporters for the burial of Karunanidhi at the Marina beach could also be heard.
Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy also arrived to pay his last respects.
Deepa Jayakumar, niece of former Tamil Nadu chief minister late J Jayalalithaa, paid tributes at Rajaji Hall.
VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan demanded a Bharat Ratna to be conferred upon Karunanidhi.
Following the death of 94-year-old leader DMK chief M Karunanidhi, five-time chief minister and a towering leader in the Tamil Nadu politics, a controversy erupted over his burial after the ruling AIADMK government turned down DMK’s request to allot space for Kalaignar’s burial near party founder C N Annadurai’s memorial at the iconic Marina Beach.
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