Family breaks down, supporters cheer as Madras HC allows Karunanidhi to be buried at Marina beach

CHENNAI: The family of the late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi could not control their tears as the Madras High Court ruled in favour of the DMK allowing the Kalaignar to be buried at the Marina beach. The late DMK leader's son and party's working president MK Stalin and daughter Kanimozhi were seen in tears after the verdict. Among the others who were seen breaking down were several top leaders of the DMK including A Raja, Durai Murugan and RS Bharathi.  

A sea of people gathered outside the court and Rajaji hall, where Karunanidhi's body has been kept to pay last respects, burst into cheers and celebrations over the Madras HC decision. 

Tamil Nadu: MK Stalin breaks down after Madras High Court's verdict to allow the burial of former CM M #Karunanidhi at Chennai's Marina beach. pic.twitter.com/rzgJ4h4fG4 — ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

"The DMK's plea for the burial of Kalaignar's body near Anna memorial has been accepted by the Madras High Court. The court further directed Tamil Nadu government to ensure and establish a memorial for Kalaignar's," DMK lawyer V Kannadasan said.

Tamil Nadu: DMK supporters celebrate following Madras High Court's verdict to allow the burial of former CM M #Karunanidhi at Chennai's Marina beach. Visuals from Rajaji Hall (pic 1 & 3) and outside Madras High Court (pic 2) pic.twitter.com/nlB8KS5Iaf — ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

The HC on Wednesday ruled that Karunanidhi will be buried at the Marina beach. The battle over the final resting place of the DMK patriarch reached court after the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday refused to alott land at Marina Beach to bury Karunanidhi.

The DMK had approached the court on Tuesday night against the order as the party wanting him interred near the seafront memorial of DMK founder and Karunanidhi's mentor C.N. Annadurai.

The AIADMK government had asked the DMK to bury Karunanidhi on Sardar Patel Road which is home to memorials dedicated to Rajaji (C. Rajagopalachari) and K Kamaraj. Earlier all the petitioners who had filed a case against the memorial for AIADMK's late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said they are withdrawing their petitions and the court dismissed their pleas.

On Wednesday, the government counsel argued the DMK party is politicising the burial of Karunanidhi. The court asked the government counsel to explain the legal issues in allotting space at Marina Beach as mentioned in the statement issued by the government on Tuesday.

The DMK counsel argued that the government is citing minor issues for rejecting the party's request for space at Marina Beach for burying Karunanidhi.

The DMK said Karunanidhi is an ardent follower of party founder and Annadurai. Since AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran was also a follower of Annadurai he was buried near the latter's memorial.

According to DMK, the ideologies of late Congress leaders like Rajagopalachari and Kamaraj are different from that of what was followed by Dravidian leaders like Annadurai and Karunanidhi. Hence it will not be appropriate to bury Karunanidhi at the site offered by the state government.

The DMK also argued that the Chennai Corporation has announced the Annadurai memorial Beach as a burial site.