DMK filed cases against Jayalalithaa's memorial on Marina: D Jayakumar

Chennai: State Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar lashed out at the DMK on the memorial issue and asked, “did the DMK participate in the unveiling of the portrait of sacrificial leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma (former CM J. Jayalalithaa), who had dedicated her life for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu and Tamils, in the TN Asssembly?”

Contending that the DMK had boycotted the 'historic' event, the Minister said the DMK got someone to file a case saying no images (of her) should be kept in government offices.

“They have also objected to a memorial on the Marina. Who is behind all this? DMK's instigation and cases filed by the DMK. So the cases they filed were an obstacle to them. If the cases they filed were not an obstacle, we would definitely have given them (the land) that day itself,” he said.

Late Jayalalithaa's portrait was unveiled at the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly here in February this year. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had presided and Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal unveiled the 7-foot portrait of the late AIADMK supremo.

However, the main Opposition DMK and its ally, Congress, boycotted the unveiling ceremony stating that it set a wrong precedent, as she was a convicted in the disproportionate assets case. Jayalalithaa passed away in December 2016.

Soon after Karunanidhi's death was announced on August 7, the AIADMK government declined to allot space for burial on the Marina but later following the Madras High Court's intervention, after the DMK moved the court, space for the final resting place for Karunanidhi near the Anna memorial was provided.

Mr Jayakumar had represented the state government at Karunanidhi's last rites.