Will Karunanidhi's mortal remains be buried at Marina beach? Madras HC to decide at 8 am

The Madras High Court bench, hearing DMK’s plea demanding burial of party patriarch M Karunanidhi’s mortal remains near Anna Memorial at Chennai’s Marina beach, has adjourned the hearing till 8 am on Wednesday. The government is slated to file its reply on the issue as the hearing resumes in morning.

Tamil Nadu’s AIADMK government, which had denied permission to the DMK for the burial at Marina beach, sought more time from the Madras High Court bench, comprising acting Chief Justice CJ Ramesh and Justice SS Sundaram, to present its side of the argument.

Talking to mediapersons after the initial hearing at the residence of the Acting Chief Justice, DMK lawyer Saravanan Annadurai said that the bench asked them whether there was any other memorial at the site in question. Responding to the same, the DMK informed the court that there were three such memorials at the site.

According to him, the government was “dilly dallying” on the issue and buying more time. He further said that the court would most likely declare its decision by 8.30 am on Wednesday.

According to reports, the hearing may be resumed at the Madras High Court and not the residence of the Acting Chief Justice, where the hearing began after Tuesday midnight. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami had held a meeting with state’s Advocate General ahead of the hearing.

The Madras High Court was moved even as DMK cadres reacted angrily to Tamil Nadu government‘s refusal over the burial site. Cadres and supporters resorted to violent protests outside Chennai’s Kauvery Hospital, where five-time Chief Minister breathed his last at 6.10 pm on Tuesday.

Ahead of the hearing, one Duraiswamy, who had filed a petition against AIADMK stalwart and former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s burial at Marina beach, withdrew his petition, saying Karunanidhi’s mortal remains must be buried near Anna Memorial.

According to Bar and Bench, Duraiswamy said that he had filed his petition against alleged CRZ violations on account of Jayalalithaa's burial at Marina. According to him, the space sought for Karunanidhi's burial has already been declared a crematorium.

Meanwhile, leaders of opposition parties, including West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, have backed the DMK over its demand for burial of Karunanidhi’s mortal remains at Marina beach.

Mamata, who arrived in Chennai later Tuesday evening, requested the state government to grant the permission for Marina beach burial, while the Congress chief urged the AIADMK government in the state to be “magnanimous in this time of grief”.

Amid the legal battle over the Kalaignar’s burial site, DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for the denial of permission by Tamil Nadu’s AIADMK government.

Saravanan attacked the BJP saying the party had been exposed. He tweeted, “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.”

Karunanidhi’s mortal remains were at first taken from Kauvery Hospital to his Gopalpuram residence, where supporters gathered in large number to get a glimpse of the veteran leader. The mortal remains were later moved to another residence of Karunanidhi at CIT Colony.

The mortal remains were slated to be taken to Rajaji Hall in the Government Estate in Chennai at 4 am on Wednesday.