The last-minute legal wranglings regarding the burial site of Karunanidhi is over and he will be laid to rest at Marina Beach, where three other formers Chief Ministers including Jayalalitha have memorials. As per the new plan released, Karunanidhi will have his resting place between CN Annadurai and MS Jayalalitha’s memorial- the former his mentor and the latter his arch rival. See the plan
It was the ruling party AIADMK who rejected a burial site at Marina Beach for the Dravidian icon and legendary Karunanidhi, but the decision was overruled by Madras High Court. Not very often do rivalries between two parties extend beyond the death of a leader. The decision of AIADMK to deny him a burial spot at Marina Beach came under a lot of criticism.
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The Government instead offered a two-acre plot near Gandhi Mandapam .”That cannot be termed as a decent burial. Those buried there have ideologies different from the Dravidian movement,” the DMK argued in court. ”
The ruling AIADMK, which had asked for time to reply to the petition, told the court today that only chief ministers who died in office were allotted space at the Marina Beach.
“‘Anna (Annadurai), who is the founder of DMK, used to say my life and soul is Karunanidhi. Burying Karunanidhi next to Gandhi Mandapam cannot be termed as a decent burial,” the DMK shot back, claiming that “one crore DMK followers in Tamil Nadu would be offended” if Karunanidhi was not given place at Marina beach.
“All we need is 6X6 foot land for a tall leader, nothing else,” said the DMK in the court while concluding its arguments for burying Karunanidhi.
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