Karunanidhi turns 84

Chennai, June 3 (UNI) The grand old man of Tamil Nadu politics and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi turned 84 today.

Governor S S Barnala and leaders of various political parties, including AICC President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, greeted the DMK Patriarch on the occasion.

Ms Sonia Gandhi spoke to Mr Karunanidhi over phone from New Delhi and conveyed her wishes to him.

Leaders of constituent parties of the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA), Congress, PMK and the left parties also greeted him on the occasion.

As it was a day to rejoice and celebrate for DMK cadres, all the roads leads to the DMK headquarters 'Anna Arivalayam' where people made a beeline to greet and seek blessings from the octogenarian leader.

All the DMK Ministers, both from the state and the Centre, MLAs, MPs, party functionaries and district level leaders thronged the party headquarters to greet the Chief Minister.

The Tamil Nadu Muslim Makkal Katchi (TMMK) has decided to confer 'Yaaraan-E-Millath (meaning friend of the Muslim community) title on Mr Karunanidhi to mark the occasion.

TMMK President S M Pasha told UNI that the title was in recognition of the yeoman services rendered by Mr Karunanidhi for the welfare of the Muslims in the state.

The city wore a festive look with party flags and festoons dotting the roads. Cutouts of the DMK President along with his son and Local Administration Minister M K Stalin were prominently seen in almost all parts of the city.

For Mr Karunanidhi, whose stint as Chief Minister for a record fifth time coincided with his Golden Jubilee in the state Assembly, the day began by placing a wreath on the Samadhi of his political mentor and DMK founder C N Annadurai on the Marina.

Later, he paid homage to rationalist leader Periyar at his samadhi at Periyar Thidal and accepted greetings at his Gopalapuram residence.

He was received with a thunderous applause by the party workers as his motorcade entered the Anna Arivalayam, where people from all walks of life, greeted him.

Mr Karunanidhi launched a state-wide tree planting programme by planting a sapling at a function organised by the State Highways Department to mark the occasion. The department would plant three lakh saplings in various districts and maintain them.

Mr Karunanidhi also launched a pamphlet on road safety the first of which was received by Mr Stalin.

Besides, the forest department would be planting about 84,000 saplings this month alone to mark the occasion. About 84 lakh saplings would be planted across the state this year as part of Mr Karunanidhi's birthday fete.

UNI