Chennai: Tamil Nadu`s political parties including DMK, on Friday condoled the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela and paid tributes to his contributions to the anti-apartheid movement in that country.
DMK chief M Karunanidhi recalled that in the midst of a party conference in Tiruchirappalli in May 1990, he had announced with much joy Mandela`s release from a South African prison, asking his partymen to welcome that with a huge round of applause which, he said, took a long time to subside.
In an apparent reference to the late leader`s jail term covering nearly three decades, the DMK chief said that his life of sacrifice was a lesson not just to the youth of that country, but to all those persons inhabiting the globe.
"As long as freedom movements exist in this world, Nelson Mandela`s legacy will remain," he said in a party statement.
MDMK leader Vaiko also condoled the death of the peace icon, saying his demise had left the entire world grieving.
Mandela`s death had shocked the entire globe but his fame would continue to remain forever, Vaiko said in a statement.
DMDK founder and Opposition Leader in the state Assembly, Vijayakant and PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss also condoled Mandela`s death.
