CHENNAI: DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami have been engaged in an intense war of words over the past two days. The bone of contention is EPS’ allegation that late CM M Karunanidhi denied former CMs K Kamaraj and VN Janaki Ramachandran resting places at Marina Beach.
The allegation first surfaced after the demise of Karunanidhi in August 2018 when the then AIADMK government, headed by EPS, turned down DMK’s request for a burial at the Marina, forcing the party to move the Madras High Court and obtain permission. Reports at the time claimed Karunanidhi had similarly denied permission for Kamaraj’s burial at Marina in 1975 despite requests from a section of Congress leaders.
This claim has resurfaced with the added charge that Karunanidhi also denied permission for Janaki, the wife of AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran, to be laid to rest at the Marina after her death in 1996. However, a perusal of records of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, erstwhile Legislative Council (LC) and TNIE’s own archives shows both allegations are on flimsy grounds, if not unsubstantiated.
After Kamaraj died on October 2, 1975, both Houses of the Legislature met on October 23 when condolence motions were moved and leaders of all parties spoke.
K Rajaram, opposition leader in the LC from Congress, said the party never expected the manner in which the CM (Karunanidhi) and the government organised the funeral. Both parties shared intense rivalry during this period. Moreover, Kamaraj died during the Emergency, which Karunanidhi firmly opposed; his government would be dissolved three months later.
Rajaram said the party leaders had thought to cremate Kamaraj’s mortal remains at the party’s ground in Teynampet and erect a memorial there. “Even as a few people were suggesting we should call up and ask the CM, he himself arrived within five minutes to the house (of Kamaraj)”.
It was Karunanidhi who recommended the remains be taken to Rajaji Hall for public to pay homage and last rites be performed near Gandhi Mandapam, where a memorial could be erected, he said. Recalling the personal attention given by Karunanidhi in ensuring a befitting funeral, Rajaram added, “I never dreamt of this. I don’t know what I can do in return for the CM.”
Most reports circulating since 2018, lending credence to the allegation, were based on the anecdotal recall of late TNCC president Tindivanam K Ramamurthy, who had said former Congress leader Pazha Nedumaran, writer Jayakanthan and poet Kannadasan were among those firm about the Marina request.
Nedumaran refuted the claim in 2018. Jayakanthan, an ardent supporter of Kamaraj and critic of DMK, speaks of how shattered he was by the leader’s death in his book Oru Ilakkiyavathiyin Arasiyal Anubavangal, yet makes no mention of the Marina request.
When Janaki died, Karunanidhi and his cabinet colleagues, who had assumed office only six days earlier on May 13, paid their respects that very evening at her residence in Ramapuram, where her final rites were performed. On May 24, condolence motion for Rani Annadurai, wife of late CM CN Annadurai, and Janaki, were moved in the Assembly by Speaker PTR Palanivel Rajan and adopted, following which the House was adjourned for the day.
A report in then The Indian Express, however, triggered a heated debate the next day in the Assembly since it said AIADMK MLA Su Thirunavukkarasar was disappointed the members had not been allowed to speak on the motion and the speaker had ignored convention. Party MLA R Thamaraikani questioned why members should not be allowed to speak. However, Thirunavukkarasar later clarified in the House that different papers had reported his opinion differently. Neither MLA made any reference to a request for burial at Marina or a later denial.
Responding to Thamaraikani, Karunanidhi said he had looked upon Janaki as his sister. After her demise, he noticed her portrait was missing from among the CMs in the Assembly and he had ordered for the same to be installed at once, he said.