Information Minister Kadambur C. Raju triggered a political controversy on Monday, saying the burial of former DMK president and five-time Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi with “State honours” was only “alms offered by the AIADMK government”. His remarks drew strong reactions from other parties, including the DMK.
Addressing a public meeting at Kovilpatti in Thoothukudi district, organised as part of the birth anniversary celebrations of former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, Mr. Raju said the AIADMK government, driven by charity, did not appeal against the Madras High Court’s order granting a burial site on the Marina beach for Karunanidhi.
“If Karunanidhi had died when he was Chief Minister, he would have received the honours (by default). The State honour was given to you [Karunanidhi] only because of the alms offered by us. It was because of my signature [as Information Minister] and the signature of the Chief Minister [that] the body was laid in state at Rajaji Hall. Even if they got an order from the High Court, if we had appealed against it, you would not have got the [burial] place. But we were magnanimous enough to let go of the matter, and I again put my signature [for burial on the Marina],” the Minister said.
“So, the memorial for you is only alms offered by the AIADMK government,” Mr. Raju said. “The Chief Minister had clearly said that he did not want to tarnish the image of Anna by allowing Karunanidhi to rest beside him,” he said, adding, “There is no place for Karunanidhi in Anna’s heart.”
Some of his Cabinet colleagues, including Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar, defended him. “DMK leader Stalin had, in a public meeting, said he requested the Chief Minister for the land in an attempt to gain political mileage from the incident. That was the reason why our Minister was forced to make such remarks,” Mr. Udhayakumar said in Madurai.
Later, addressing mediapersons in Thoothukudi, Mr. Raju said if he had used any inappropriate word, he was “willing to change it”.
But he justified his statements, saying the DMK had been speaking of demolishing the mausoleum built for former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. “If the DMK speaks about bringing down the memorial if brought to power, we would give them a [befitting] reply,” he said.
‘Lost his dignity’
Strongly reacting to Mr. Raju’s statements, DMK treasurer Duraimurugan said the Minister had “lost his dignity and his moral standing and has stooped too low” by making such comments. Clarifying that the DMK obtained space for its leader’s funeral only through the High Court, Mr. Duraimurugan said military honours were given by the Centre, and not by the State government.
“It is the Centre that gives military honours. The Minister does not even know who gives military honours,” he said, adding, “Why didn’t you go on an appeal? You know that if you had appealed, you would have faced a challenge in the Supreme Court!”
Commenting on the incident, senior BJP leader and Union Minister of State Pon. Radhakrishnan said, “The government [power] itself is alms offered by the people. No matter which party it is, Ministers should stop making such comments. This is not appropriate.”
