With the death of Kalaignar Muthuvel Karunanidhi, Tamil Nadu has lost its last great patriarch. M Karunanidhi straddled the Tamil Nadu politics like a colossus for more than six decades. He was the rightful heir of CN Annadurai, for whose burial, the largest ever congregation in the history of the world had assembled. In one of history's quirks, the most puzzling question after Karunanidhi's death is -- Where will he be buried?
Will Karunanidhi be buried at Anna Square on Marina beach, alongside the memorial of former Chief Minister Annadurai? That was what the DMK and the Karunanidhi family wanted but the Tamil Nadu government refused to allot the Marina beach site for Karunanidhi's funeral.
Why did Palaniswamy deny burial at Marina?
The Tamil Nadu government has said the late leader cannot be buried at Marina as there are a suite of petitions at the High Court challenging burials on the beach. the petitions argue that burials in the Marina are in contravention of the existing laws.
The DMK delegation had met the chief minister following Karunanidhi's death but the government gave the formal reply that it can't permit the burial at Marina.
However, apart from the petitions at the high court, conventions are also cited in the denial of Karunandhi's burial site. So far only sitting chief ministers have been buried on the marina beach -- CN Annadurai, MG Ramachandran and J. Jayalalitha.
If Marina is denied, where will Karunanidhi be buried?
The government has said the DMK will be allotted a burial site in the Gandhi Mandapam opposite Anna university. Former chief ministers like K Kamaraj and Rajaji are buried at this site.
What's DMK's last resort?
DKM is obviously unhappy over the government decision and the cadres throughout the state became restive after it emerged that Karunanidhi won't be given a burial at Anna Square. MK Stalin appealed for the calm, but also acted swiftly to dispatch a posse of lawyers to the Chief Justice's residence. The acting chief justice of Tamil Nadu will hear a petition seeking to overturn the government decision at 10.30.
Which was the biggest burial in Tamil Nadu's history?
The largest funeral crowds ever gathered in the world was in Tamil Nadu, for the funeral of Annadurai. A mind boggling 15 million people had attended the funeral in 1969. That was a grander spectacle than the burial of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Khomenei in 1989, which was attended by a whopping ten million people.
For DMK, the death of Karunanidhi is an epochal event. They would want nothing nothing less than a grand burial at Anna Square for their departed leader.
When is Karunanidhi's burial?
Even as confusion prevails over the exact burial place, it's confirmed that the 5-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu will be buried on Wednesday. Karunanidhi died in Kauvery hospital in Chennai around 6.20 on Tuesday. his body has been taken to his residence at Gopalapuram in the city, where the family and followers will pay respects to him.
