No, Karunanidhi Did Not ‘Deny’ Kamarajar & Rajaji a Marina Burial

According to a rumour, Karunanidhi had reportedly denied permission for Rajaji and Kamarajar to be buried at Marina.

Karunanidhi, Kamaraj, MGR and others waiting outside the hospital where Anna was admitted before he died.   

(Photo: www.dmk.in)

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Even as the Madras High Court on 8 August granted permission for the burial of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi’s mortal remains at Marina, a rumour on social media claims that Karunanidhi had “denied” permission for former Chief Ministers Rajaji and Kamarajar's burial by the coveted coastline.

According to the rumour, Karunanidhi had reportedly denied permission to Rajaji and Kamarajar to be buried at the Marina promenade as they weren’t Chief Ministers at the time of their death.

However, this rumour is untrue.

Did Karunaidhi Really Deny Kamarajar a Marina Burial?

When Karmajar died on 2 October 1975, Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister of the state. However, speaking to The Quint, senior journalist V Jayanth said that there was no demand for a Marina burial by the state or Kamarajar’s followers.

There was no demand at all for a burial at Marina. This is only a very recent Dravidian norm.

V Jayanth, Senior Journalist

While former CMs like Rajaji, Kamarajar and Bhaktavatsalam, had been allotted a memorial at Guindy near the Gandhi Mandapam, Jayanth noted the major difference between them and the DMK supremo – these leaders were Congress members.

The government’s argument is that there is no precedent for a non-CM to be buried at Marina, as Annadurai, MGR and Jayalalithaa were all sitting CMs when they died. Also, this issue of a Marina burial cropped up only after Jayalalithaa was buried within MGR’s memorial premises.

Further, quoting a senior journalist, The News Minute reported that Karunanidhi was the first to have arrived when Kamarajar passed away, and was at the helm of his funeral arrangements.

Kamaraj died on Gandhi Jayanti day and hence he was given a place in Gandhi Mandapam. Who organised the entire state funeral? Karunanidhi was the person who led the entire thing. He was the first person to reach. It was the Emergency and he supported a person who was opposing Mrs Gandhi and he stood by him throughout this period.

What About Rajaji?

Slamming the rumour as untrue, Rajaji's great grandson CR Kesavan told TNM that the Rajaji Ninaivalayam in Guindy was designed by Karunanidhi, after Rajaji was cremated as per his wishes.

Reminiscing the warm relationship between the two leaders, Kesavan told TNM that Karunanidhi had personally delivered the tamra patra to Rajaji, which was awarded to freedom fighters by the Central government.

In fact in 1971, the government of India had bestowed all the freedom fighters with a tamra patra. And Kalaignar himself went to Rajaji’s house and gave him the tamra patra which was given to freedom fighters.

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