People gather in large numbers to pay their last respects to DMK patriarch
Chennai: Several thousands of grief-stricken DMK members and well-wishers of the Dravidian icon and former chief minister M. Karunanidhi paid their homage at the Rajaji Hall here on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying homage to the departed leader who mortal remains were kept in a golden casket draped in the national tricolour.
Besides Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Chief Ministers H. D. Kumaraswamy (Karnataka), Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala), K. Chandrasekhar Rao (Telangana) and N. Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI (M) leader Prakash Karat, and former Chief Ministers Oommen Chandy (Kerala) and Akilesh Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) were among the dignitaries who paid their homage to the 94-year-old leader had breathed his last on Tuesday evening at Kauvery hospital here after battling for life for 11 days.
The number of those lining up to pay their tearful adieu increased by the day as celebrities too joined them. Later in the day, Karunanidhi was buried with full military honours with soldiers giving him a gun salute. Former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda, Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan, Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad placed wreaths at the feet of the departed leader at the Marina where Karunanidhi's son and DMK working president M. K. Stalin received the national flag wrapped around his father's body from the army personnel.
Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam and leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala too paid the homage.
“He was a tall political leader of our country and a very good administrator. When he was a chief minister, he was very considerate towards Kerala and Keralites. I remember our good relationship,” Chandy later said. Also, those from the Tamil film fraternity who paid tribute to the departed DMK patriarch include lyricist Vairamuthu.
