Karunanidhi laid to rest at Marina beach as Tamil Nadu bids tearful farewell
Kanimozhi-Karunanidhi
The DMK chief died on Tuesday evening at Kauvery hospital after being in ICU for eleven days.
Muthuvel Karunanidhi, 94, the"Thalaivar" (the leader) was today laid to rest in full state honours on the Marina beachfront as Tamil Nadu bid him a tearful farewell.
The burial witnessed several top leaders from across the country including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and his son Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy attending the final rites as the DMK stalwart was laid to rest.
CPMgeneral secretary Sitaram Yechury, Prakash Karat, and former chief ministers of Kerala and Uttar Pradesh Oommen Chandy and Akhilesh Yadav were also present as Tamil Nadu witnessed a day-long mourning on Wednesday.
The DMK chief died on Tuesday evening at Kauvery hospital after being in ICU for eleven days. Karunanidhi's vital organs failed in the end, doctors said.
Karunanidhi's son M K Stalin crying inconsolably received the national flag which was wrapped around his father's body. Other family members including the leader's wife Rajathi Ammal, other sons and daughters showered flower petals at his feet.
The casket was finally lowered after 6:45 pm, nearly 24 hours after south India's tallest leader bid goodbye to his state.
Earlier in the day, police had to latchicharge the crowd gathered outside Rajaji hall as Karunanidhi's body was brought out for his final journey towards Marina beach. Several people were also injured in the ensuing commotion as the DMK leader's mortal remains made its way through Chennai's streets.
Karunanidhi's death had triggered an all-out confrontation with the AIADMK government in the state after it denied the ex-chief minister to be buried at Marina beach.
AIADMK founder and former chief minister M G Ramachandran and his protegee J Jayalalithaa, who were buried on the beach and have memorials there, had died in office, and the government cited this as a ground for not bestowing the same privilege to Karunanidhi as he was not a serving chief minister.
Finally, the Madras High Court gave its verdict in DMK's favour as Karunanidhi was laid to rest beside his mentor Annadurai, the first chief minister of Tamil Nadu.