The DMK headquarters has put out a statement specifying the routes and the time of the funeral procession of the mortal remains of DMK President Dr Kalaignar M Karunanidhi.
“The President of the DMK and the leader of Tamilians Kalaignar’s mortal remains will be taken in a procession from Rajaji Hall at around 4 pm via Sivananda Salai passing by Periyar’s statue and will reach Anna statue. From there the procession will take the Walajah road and reach Anna Square on Kamarajar Salai and his remains will be laid to rest there,” read the statement.
It also added, “Brothers and sisters of the party and members of the public are requested to maintain calm during the procession and pay their final respects to the unmatched leader of the Tamils.”
Kalaignar M Karunanidhi passed away on Tuesday evening, at the age of 94, due to age-related ailments. He was in Kauvery Hospital since July 26, for Urinary Tract Infection and other health complications. His body was taken from the hospital and kept at his Gopalapuram and CIT Colony residences for people to come and pay their respects throughout the night.
Meanwhile Karunanidhi’s family members and a few senior DMK leaders met the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and requested him to allot land in Marina. They requested that Karunanidhi be laid to rest near his mentor, former Chief Minister Annadurai’s memorial on Kamaraj Salai.
The TN government had refused to allot land in Marina citing legal complications and had instead offered two acres in Gandhi Mandapam to bury the DMK supremo.
DMK then filed a petition on Tuesday night with the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, Huluvadi G Ramesh to direct the government to allot land for Karunanidhi in Marina.
In a special hearing on Wednesday morning, the Madras High Court ruled in favour of DMK and ordered the Tamil Nadu government to allot space at the Marina beach to bury and lay Karunanidhi to rest. This came as a major blow to the government as it had denied permission to give land at the Marina for Kalaignar’s memorial.
The verdict was declared as Karunanidhi’s body was lying-in-state at Rajaji Hall.