Karunanidhi last rites LIVE updates: Final journey of Kalaignar from Rajaji Hall to Marina Beach underway

Karunanidhi Funeral Live: A controversy erupted over Karunanidhi's cremation as the state government on Tuesday rejected DMK demand for giving space for his burial at Marina beach, propelling an early morning hearing of High Court on the matter on Wednesday.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party supporters react as they gather to pay their respects to the mortal remains of president Muthuvel Karunanidhi at Rajaji hall, in Chennai on August 8, 2018. Thousands mourned in southern India on August 7 after the death of revered 94-year-old political leader Muthuvel Karunanidhi. / AFP PHOTO / ARUN SANKAR

Karunanidhi Funeral: DMK patriarch and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Wednesday began his final journey on a flower-decked military vehicle from Rajaji Hall to Marina beach. Thousands of his emotional supporters joined his bereaved family to catch a last glimpse of the Kalaignar. Earlier, a controversy erupted over Karunanidhi's cremation as the state government on Tuesday rejected DMK's demand for giving space for his burial at Marina beach, propelling an early morning hearing of High Court on the matter on Wednesday. However, the Madras High Court today allowed the burial of the DMK chief on the Marina Beach. Keeping their personal and political differences aside, the grief over father's demise united siblings Stalin, Alagiri and Kanimozhi. PM Narendra Modi also met them and offered his condolences. Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav and former Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav also arrived in afternoon to pay their last respects. Here are the latest updates of Karunanidhi Funeral at Marina beach

Chennai: Mortal remains of DMK Chief M #Karunanidhi being taken to #MarinaBeach for last rites. pic.twitter.com/0q6j5EOzPE

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

• 3:25 pm - Karunanidhi was not just popular in Tamil Nadu  but the entire country knew about him well, says Home Minister Rajnath Singh
• 3:00 pm - May his soul rest in peace, says Tejashwi Yadav, RJD
• 2:20 pm: Congress President Rahul Gandhi pays his tributes to mortal remains of DMK Chief
• 12:30 pm: Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien to represent Trinamool Congress at the funeral of M Karunanidhi in Chennai
• 11:14 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays last respects to former CM M Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

PM #Modi pays last respect to the mortal remains of DMK Chief #MKarunanidhihttps://t.co/JQJlKZeiOk pic.twitter.com/6mIUGwJ240

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 8, 2018

• 11:30 am: Parliament adjourned for the day after observing 2 minute silence over Karunanidhi's death
• 11 am: MK Stalin breaks down after Madras High Court's verdict to allow the burial of former CM M Karunanidhi at Chennai's Marina beach

Tamil Nadu: MK Stalin breaks down after Madras High Court's verdict to allow the burial of former CM M #Karunanidhi at Chennai's Marina beach. pic.twitter.com/rzgJ4h4fG4

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

• 10: 54 am: Madras High Court pronounces verdict: M Karunanidhi to get a burial at the Marina Beach

Madras High Court pronounces verdict, allows burial of DMK chief M Karunanidhi at Marina.https://t.co/JQJlKZeiOk pic.twitter.com/UB1c1FPNl8

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 8, 2018

• 10:32 am: PM Modi arrives in Chennai to pay last respects to Karunanidhi

#PMModi arrives in Chennai to pay last respects to DMK Chief #MKarunanidhi https://t.co/JQJlKZeiOk pic.twitter.com/XxMwuaIJSh

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 8, 2018

• 10:09 am:  Rapid Action Force has been deployed outside Anna memorial at Marina beach in Chennai. Hearing in the case against denial of burial land by Tamil Nadu Govt at Marina beach for Karunanidhi is underway at Madras High Court.

 

• 10:02 am: Madras High court hearing: Tamil Nadu govt's lawyer says "there is a difference of protocol for somebody who is on a particular post and somebody who had held that post. We are following precedents in this matter, that were set by Karunanidhi himself. DK Chief Periyar was the tallest leader of Dravidian movement. Was he buried at Marina beach?"

 

• 10 am: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan pays last respects to former CM M Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall. He also rooted for Kalaignar's memorial at Marina Beach.

#MKarunanidhi 's last rites: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan supports demands of Karunanidhi's memorial at Marina Beachhttps://t.co/JQJlKZeiOk

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 8, 2018

• 9:30 am: During High Court hearing over Karunanidhi's burial, DMK laywer says: 'There are 1 crore DMK followers in Tamil Nadu out of 7 crore population of the state. They'll be offended if burial land is not allotted for Karunanidhi at Marina beach." He also said  'You (state govt) have announced state mourning, why not give land for burial? There's no prohibition under Central Govt protocol to allot land at Marina beach for ex-CMs."

Case against denial of burial land by Tamil Nadu Govt at Marina beach for M #Karunanidhi: DMK's lawyer says, 'There are 1 crore DMK followers in Tamil Nadu out of 7 crore population of the state. They'll be offended if burial land is not allotted for Karunanidhi at Marina beach.' pic.twitter.com/oHvhXUqYOW

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

• 9:05 am: Four petitioners challenging the Karunanidhi's cremation at Marina, withdrew their petitions. The fifth one said that court’s order will be acceptable. The High Court after this, dismissed the fifth petition as well. Hearing is underway for the petition filed by DMK.

 

• 8:52 am: Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandi,  Deepa Jayakumar, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan paid last tributes to the former CM of Tamil Nadu at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy pays last respects to former Tamil Nadu CM M #Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall. pic.twitter.com/yssEqrRLl9

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

• 8: 37 am: Madras High Court dismisses petitions filed by Traffic Ramaswamy, K Balu & Duraisamy challenging construction of memorials at Marina beach.

Case against denial of burial land by Tamil Nadu Govt at Marina beach for M #Karunanidhi: Madras High Court dismisses petitions filed by Traffic Ramaswamy, K Balu & Duraisamy challenging construction of memorials at Marina beach. pic.twitter.com/lP6smWeM26

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

• Madras HC directs Traffic Ramaswamy’s lawyer to file memorandum that he has no objection to bury Karunanidhi’s body at Marina beach. Lawyer submits the memorandum to the Acting Chief Justice.

• 8:19 am: Lawyer of petitioner Traffic Ramaswamy says 'We have no objection to the burial land for Karunanidhi'. Acting Chief Justice says to the lawyer 'Withdraw your case'.

Chennai: Huge crowd gathers at Chennai's Rajaji Hall to pay last respects to former Tamil Nadu CM M #Karunanidhi. Crowd raises slogans of 'Long live Kalaignar' and 'Need Marina! Need Marina!' pic.twitter.com/pIvBPZyKTE

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018