Agencies
CHENNAI: 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. Amid a bitter row over his burial site, a Madras High Court bench is shortly expected to announce its ruling on DMK’s plea demanding burial of party patriarch M Karunanidhi’s mortal remains near Anna Memorial at Chennai’s Marina beach. After a late night hearing on the issue, the decision was adjourned till 8 am on Wednesday as the AIADMK government sought more time to file its reply on the issue.
The Tamil Nadu government had on Tuesday evening rejected the request from rival DMK, triggering sharp criticism of its decision 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.
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. |
