Need 6X6 ft land for our leader, nothing else: DMK’s emotive pitch in HC

Chennai, Aug 8: The DMK won a battle against the Tamil Nadu government after the Madras High Court ruled that M Karunanidhi would be buried at Marina. At Marina, three former chief ministers, C N Annadurai, M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa have been laid to rest.

The DMK put out an emotive argument at the court when it said, " all we need is 6X6 ft land for our leader and nothing else." It was also pointed out that Karunanidhi's mentor, Annadurai too is buried there.

The petition in the HC became necessary after the Tamil Nadu government rejected the DMK's request to bury their leader at Marina. It may be recalled that the TN government had circumvented a ban on the construction of 500 metres from the water front along the beach by burying Jayalalithaa in an existing memorial of M G Ramachandran.

The DMK told the court that the same yardstick should apply for Karunanidhi as well. The state however cited pending legal cases and also the Coastal Zone Regulation Act. It said that 2 acres of land would be allowed at Gandhi Mandapam. Other former CMs, Rajaji, and Kamaraj are also buried at the same place.