Karunanidhi dead: Madras HC likely to decide on burial site tonight; violence outside hospital by cadres

Chennai: Amid a row over the denial of burial site for Karunanidhi at Marina beach, violence erupted on Tuesday with DMK workers protesting outside Kauvery hospital in Chennai. Denying land for Karunanidhi memorial at Marina beach, Tamil Nadu government offered to allot two acres of land at the memorial park opposite to Anna University. 

Following this, the party cadres approached the Madras High Court, seeking an emergency hearing. The High Court's acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh has called for a hearing at 10:30 pm.

DMK patriarch and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi died on Tuesday at 94, with the doctors at Kauvery Hospital declaring him dead at 6.10 pm.

The DMK claimed that they had earlier met the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and submitted a request for a 'Samadhi' near Anna memorial. The party's request was then accepted, a senior DMK leader added.

"We had met CM and submitted a request for a 'Samadhi' near Anna memorial, he had accepted our request then, but has not communicated anything in this regard till now," said senior DMK leader Durai Murugan.

However, reports suggest that the ruling AIADMK government has cited legal hurdles for refusing Anna memorial as the burial ground for the DMK patriarch.

Tamil Nadu government should not play politics. On such occasions, government and parties should be above politics. Kalaignar should be given his due. He deserves rightful place even after his demise," said Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Also known as Anna Samadhi, Anna memorial is a memorial structure built on Chennai's Marina beach. Tamil Nadu's former chief minister and Karunanidhi's mentor CN Annadurai was cremated at Anna memorial in 1969.

Karunanidhi's health declined late on Monday following which he was kept under observation of doctors at the Kauvery hospital. With reports of the DMK veteran's deteriorating health conditions, a large number of DMK supporters and well-wishers gathered outside Karunanidhi's Gopalapuram residence in Chennai.

Karunanidhi, who turned 94 last month, was admitted to hospital in Chennai on July 18. The hospital had said he had undergone a procedure to replace his tracheostomy tube. He had the tube placed in December 2016 to help improve his breathing. Karunanidhi had been discharged after the procedure on July 23.