Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday announced a memorial for former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK patriarch 'Kalaignar' Karunanidhi at his resting place in Marina Beach at the cost of Rs 39 crore. Making the announcement in the Assembly, Stalin said, Karunanidhi played an important role in the development of Tamil Nadu and worked for the welfare of Tamil people until his last breath.
As a result, Stalin said that the memorial will be built on 2.21 acres and costs Rs 39 crore. In order to inform his achievements to the next generations, Stalin said, a digital content on the life and achievements of Karunanidhi will be unveiled. The Chief Minister made the announcement under Rule 11 of Tamil Nadu legislative Assembly.
The Chief Minister further said Karunandhi unlike any other leader won 13 elections and was a member of the Assembly for 60 years.
Meanwhile, the opposition leader from AIADMK O Panneerselvam welcomed the announcement on Karunanidhi's memorial and said that the leader brought several welfare schemes to the state.
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Muthuvel Karunanidhi, the icon of Dravidian politics, died at 94 years due prolonged age related complications at a private hospital in Chennai. However, soon a legal battle ensued and the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami refused to allot a land near the memorial of CN Annadurai despite Kalaignar Karunanidhi's last wish to be laid to rest next to his mentor Anna.
Following this, DMK senior lawyer P Wilson suggested that the party go to the court and DMK filed a petition despite contrary advice. The AIADMK continued to be hard on the stand and argued that DMK refused a burial space in Marina for Janaki Ramachandran. However, Janaki's family did not ask for a burial at Marina.
The Judge after listening to both the sides directed the government to allot the land near Anna Memorial.