As the controversy over Karunanidhi’s final resting place awaits conclusion, actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth’s tweeted that a burial at the Marina is what the late five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu deserved.
Late on Tuesday night, shortly before the scheduled emergency hearing in Madras High Court on the issue, Rajinikanth tweeted, saying, “I request the TN Government to do everything necessary to provide a burial place near Anna Memorial. That is the fitting respect that we give the great man.”
மதிப்பிற்குரிய அமரர் கலைஞர் அவர்களுக்கு, அண்ணா சமாதி அருகே அடக்கம் செய்ய, தமிழக அரசு எல்லா முயற்சிகளையும் எடுக்க வேண்டும் என்று தாழ்மையுடன் கேட்டுக்கொள்கிறேன். அது தான், நாம் அந்த மாமனிதருக்கு கொடுக்கும் தகுந்த மரியாதை
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) August 7, 2018
Not just Rajinikanth, Congress President Rahul Gandhi also expressed his favour for Karunanidhi being buried at Marina, next to Annadurai. “Like Jayalalitha ji, Kalaignar was an expression of the voice of the Tamil people. That voice deserves to be given space on Marina Beach. I am sure the current leaders of Tamil Nadu will be magnanimous in this time of grief. #Marina4Kalaignar,” he tweeted.
Like Jayalalitha ji, Kalaignar was an expression of the voice of the Tamil people. That voice deserves to be given space on Marina Beach. I am sure the current leaders of Tamil Nadu will be magnanimous in this time of grief. #Marina4Kalaignar
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 7, 2018
Earlier in the evening, MK Stalin, MK Alagiri, Kanimozhi and other senior members of DMK had met TN CM Edappadi Palaniswami requesting him for a place to lay Karunanidhi to rest near the Anna memorial in Marina.
In his letter to the Chief Minister, Stalin had said that in the light of Karunanidhi's service to Tamil Nadu and its people, he should be buried at the Anna Memorial in Marina.
However, in press release signed by the Chief Secretary, the state government has mentioned that due to legal issues surrounding the building of memorials on Marina beach, it is not possible to allocate land there.
In a six-point reply, the government’s response stated that they were ready instead to give two acres on Sardar Patel road, inside Gandhi mandapam, to lay Karunanidhi to rest, next to Rajaji and former Chief Minister K Kamaraj.
They also agreed to Karunanidhi’s family’s demand of setting aside the Rajaji Hall for Kalaignar’s final journey.
While August 8 has been declared a public holiday in the state, the government has also declared seven-day mourning and also cancelled all government functions cancelled.