Another controversy erupted on Wednesday after the Tamil Nadu government rejected the opposition DMK’s demand for allotting space on the Marina beach for the burial of its leader M Karunanidhi and offered space near the memorials of former chief ministers C Rajagopalachari and K Kamraj.
Following this high octane political drama, a PIL is filed in the Madras High Court seeking to restrain the Corporation of Greater Chennai from permitting any burial of bodies on the famous Marina Beach was dismissed as withdrawn on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Madras High Court acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G. Ramesh has agreed to hear the case against denial of burial land by Tamil Nadu Government by 10:30 pm on Wednesday.
Here are the LIVE updates:
#12:18 AM: 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, DMK leader A Saravanan tweeted.
#12:08 AM: Duraisamy claims the burial spot that DMK is claiming for Karunanidhi's burial is not close to the coastal zone of Marina Beach and does not flout any rules. He adds the burial spot would be next to DMK founder Annadurai.
#12:04 AM: The Tamil Nadu government cannot use my petition to deny a burial ground to Karunanidhi. I am withdrawing my earlier plea against the Jaya memorial. It is wrong for the govt to use my plea to deny burial ground to Karunanidhi, says Duraisamy.
#12:02 AM: Duraisamy, who had filed a PIL against Jayalalithaa’s memorial at the Marina beach, says he is withdrawing his case against the memorial if this is what is posing a legal impediment towards getting a burial site for Karunanidhi at the Marina Beach beside Anna's memorial.
#11:38 PM: Madras High Court acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh has started the hearing on DMK's plea against the state govt's refusal to allow Karunanidhi's burial at the Marina Beach. The 2-member bench is hearing the plea at the residence of the chief justice.
#11:12 PM: Additional Advocate Generals PH Arvindh Pandian and SR Rajagopal have arrived at Madras HC acting Chief Justice's residence.
#11:00 PM: Additional Advocate General Aravind Pandian and SR Rajagopal will be representing the Tamil Nadu govt in DMK’s case against the state.
#10:56 PM: DMK workers raise slogans in Gopalapuram hailing Karunanidhi and demand his burial next to Anna memorial at Marina beach.
# 10:37 PM: Lawyers for DMK reach the residence of Madras High Court acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G. Ramesh who had agreed to hear today a case against denial of burial land by Tamil Nadu Govt at Marina beach for Karunanidhi.
# 09:19 PM: Madras High Court acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G. Ramesh agrees to hear by 10:30 pm today a case against denial of burial land by Tamil Nadu Govt at Marina beach for Karunanidhi.
Read | DMK chief Karunanidhi passes away; leaves behind rich legacy
DMK working president M K Stalin, recalling the long public life of Karunanidhi, had also written to Chief Minister K Palaniswami seeking space inside the mausoleum complex of the departed leader’s mentor C N Annadurai at the Marina. Stalin had also met the chief minister hours before his father’s death.
A government statement said it was “unable to allot space at Marina beach owing to several pending cases in the Madras High Court and legal complications.”
Hence, the government is prepared to allot a two-acre site on Sardar Patel Road near the memorials to Rajaji and Kamaraj, the statement added.
There are also reports that the government was reluctant about allotting space for Karunanidhi’s burial at the Marina as he was not a sitting chief minister.
Read | DMK chief Karunanidhi passes away; here is how national leaders react on Twitter
Former chief minister M G Ramachandran and his protegee J Jayalalitha were also buried at the Marina beach and memorials to them were erected at the place. Both were bitter foes of Karunanidhi in politics.
DMK cadres held impromptu protests and engaged in sloganeering demanding a place for Karunanidhi’s burial at he Marina beach.
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