New Delhi: Opposition parties throughout the country are uniting behind DMK’s demand to allot space for the burial of five-time chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi at ‘Anna Square’ on Marina beach.
Rahul Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury and D Raja, apart from popular Tamil actor and recent political debutant Rajinikanth, backed DMK's demand and urged the government to allot the leader a space on the famed sands through Twitter posts. While support from the national political opposition was pouring in, a senior DMK leader alleged that it was the BJP and the RSS who were preventing Karunanidhi’s burial at the desired spot.
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury described the denial of burial site at the Marina as "unfortunate. This denial of the burial site for Kalaignar is most unfortunate. Thiru (Mr) Karunanidhi deserves his rightful place of rest next to Anna. #Kalaingnar," he said in a tweet.
CPI National Secretary D Raja said Karunanidhi should be given an "honourable last journey". "DMK as a party and Karunanidhi's family requested for space in Marina. The state government must deal with the issue in a dignified way, accepting the request," he said.
In his tweets Rajnikanth argued that the government should not create hurdles as it will be a "dishonour" for such a man. "I appeal to the state govt to accept the request of DMK and the family," he added. He urged the state government to "take all efforts" to lay to rest Karunanidhi near the Anna Memorial on Marina. "That is the due respect we would be giving to that great man," he said on Twitter.
While opposition leaders were extending support to the DMK, senior party leader and member of DMK legal team, A Saravanan alleged “design” being hatched by the RSS and the BJP against the demand of DMK leaders and supporters regarding their party patriarch’s final resting place.
“Looks like it is the design of RSS to deny our great leader @kalaignar89 a place in Marina. The BJP stands exposed now, it is the BJP and its leaders who are opposing #marina4kalaignar,” Saravanan tweeted around midnight.
So far neither the BJP nor the AIADMK have come out with an official statement on the issue, nor have leaders from these two parties declared their stance on the ongoing controversy.
DMK working president MK Stalin, recalling the long public life of Karunanidhi, had written to Chief Minister K Palaniswami seeking space inside the mausoleum complex of the departed leader's mentor CN Annadurai at the Marina.
The party in its representation before the High Court, which agreed to a plea made by the DMK for an urgent midnight hearing, argued that Karunanidhi’s “political stature” and “wishes of millions of people” should be taken in account while granting Kalaignar the space where former chief minister MG Ramachandran and his protege J Jayalalithaa were also buried.
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court has decided to adjourn the hearing to 8 am on Wednesday. With several high profile visits expected throughout the day, including that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, big political drama is expected to unfold in and around Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.
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