I pleaded for burial space at Marina: Stalin

Opening up on the subject publicly for the first time, DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Tuesday said he had pleaded with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami to allot space at the Marina beach to bury party President and his father M. Karunanidhi.

Addressing an emergency meeting of the party's Executive Committee, Stalin recalled: "We (party leaders and family members) met the Chief Minister and made our request. He said the norms do not allow a former Chief Minister to be buried at Marina beach.

"I held the hands of the Chief Minister and pleaded for space. They did not agree," Stalin said.

He said the decision to meet Palaniswami in person was taken after doctors declared that Karunanidhi was in critical condition.

According to Stalin, the Chief Minister said the matter would be looked into -- but this was stated in order to send out the delegation.

After the announcement of Karunanidhi's death at 6.10 p.m. on August 7, the government issued a statement formally refusing a burial space at Marina.

Praising the DMK's legal team led T. Wilson, Stalin said they approached the Madras High Court late at night and won the case the next day.

Stalin said had the case been lost, a situation would have arisen leading to his own burial next to Karunanidhi.

--IANS

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