Chennai: DMK top brass on Tuesday night rubbished rumours about its chief M Karunanidhi’s health and released his photograph with his son MK Stalin and other leaders to clear the air after social media played havoc with false messages.
A routine circular from the Director General of Police (DGP) office asking district police chiefs to put forces on high alert flooded the social media with predictions of natural and personal disaster – one among them being rumours about the health of Karunanidhi.
As rumours spread like wildfire on WhatsApp and other social networking sites, a stream of party leaders led by DMK working president MK Stalin, general secretary K Anbhazhagan, former ministers Arcot N Veeraswamy, A Raja and TR Baalu rushed to his Gopalapuram residence and met him.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Karunanidhi, Stalin demanded action against those who spread rumours about his father’s health.
“Thalaivar (Karunanidhi) is doing fine. He is well and I request people not to believe rumours about his health. Action should be taken against those who spread rumours,” Stalin said.
Veeraswamy and Duraimurugan, who also met Karunanidhi, spoke in the same vein saying their leader would live beyond 100 years.
“The reports on my father’s health are baseless and untrue. He is doing fine. I request the people not to believe any rumours about his health,” DMK MP and Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi said.
The circular from DGP TK Rajendran’s office sent to all district police chiefs asking them to be high alert was shared widely on social media on Tuesday evening leading to wide speculation. When contacted, Rajendran said it was a routine alert from his office sent to all district police chiefs once in every six months.
