DMK demands 'Bharat Ratna' for M Karunanidhi, making Trichy second capital of Tamil Nadu

A large portrait of late DMK founder M Karunanidhi at Marina Beach in Chennai

CHENNAI: Renewing his party’s old demand, a DMK legislator has demanded the Central government to bestow the ‘Bharat Ratna’ – the country’s highest civilian honour – on former Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK founder M Karunanidhi posthumously.

DMK MLA Dr Inigo Irudayaraj made this demand while speaking during his first speech in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The DML MLA also called for making Trichy the second capital of Tamil Nadu.

“I demand ‘Bharat Ratna’ for former CM M Karunanidhi and also demand Trichy to be made the second capital of Tamil Nadu,’’ DMK MLA Dr Inigo Irudayaraj said in Tamil Nadu Assembly.

I demand Bharat Ratna for former CM M. Karunanidhi and also demand Trichy to be made the second capital of Tamil Nadu: DMK MLA Dr. Inigo Irudayaraj during his first speech in Tamil Nadu Assembly

— ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2021

It is not the first time that the ruling DMK has demanded 'Bharat Ratna' for Karunanidhi. The DMK had also raised this issue in the state assembly sometime back, saying Karunanidhi was a Dravidian stalwart and the tallest leader and deserved the highest honour.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, DMK’s Tiruchi Shiva dubbed Karunanidhi the “tallest leader of the country and a Dravidian stalwart”.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi died on August 7 after a brief illness. The DMK stalwart had served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu five times but was never a member of Parliament.