The Tamil Nadu state government is all set to arrange the burial of M Karunanidhi, one of top three leaders of the Dravidian political movement in Independent India, at Marina beach.
According to the latest reports from local media, both police officials and workers from the public works department have started work on the location.
The development more or less makes it certain that the state government, led by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam — a bitter rival of Karunanidhi’s own Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam — has thought better of appealing the Madras High Court verdict on the matter.
Earlier today, the Madras High Court had overturned the state government’s decision to deny Karunanidhi a burial spot next to the founder of the DMK, CN Annadurai.
The move followed a case filed by a DMK functionary alleging discrimination by the AIADMK government, which had found space for its leader J Jayalalitha at the same spot.
DMK pleaded with the court to allot ‘six feet of land’ next to Annadurai’s mausoleum, pointing out that the two leaders shared the bond of a teacher and disciple.
The government opposed the move, saying that Karunanidhi was not a ‘sitting chief minister.