Thalaivar Karunanidhi is dead, row erupts over burial

DMK chief M Karunanidhi, a colossus of Dravidian politics, died here today after waging a grim battle for life for 11 days even as a major controversy erupted over where he will be buried.

Karunanidhi, one of the most charismatic leaders of Tamil Nadu whose public life spanned over seven decades, was 94.

He is survived by two wives and six children, including DMK working president and heir apparent M K Stalin and daughter Kanimozhi, a Rajya Sabha MP. His first wife had predeceased him.

The most enduring mascot of the Dravidian movement breathed his last at 6.10 p.m.

"With deep anguish we announce the demise of our beloved Kalaignar M Karunanidhi on 07.08.2018 at 6.10 pm. Despite the best possible efforts by our team of doctors and nurses to resuscitate him, he failed to respond.

"We profoundly mourn the loss of one of the tallest leaders of India and we share the grief of family members and fellow Tamilians worldwide," a press release by Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, Executive Director of Kauvery Hospital, said.

A major controversy has, meanwhile, erupted after the state government rejected the DMK's demand for alloting space for Karunanidhi's burial on the Marina beach and offered space near the memorials to former chief ministers Chakravarty Rajagopalachari and K Kamraj at Guindy.

Setting the stage for a courtroom drama, the DMK moved the Madras High Court against the government's decision and Acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh is likely to hold a special hearing at his residence at 10.30 p.m tonight.

DMK working president M K 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 C N Annadurai at the Marina.

Stalin 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."