Even in death, Karuna beats AIADMK
Saying No To Marina Space Earns EPS Tag Of A Villain
Jayaraj Sivan & Julie Mariappan TNN
Chennai:09.08.2018
The controversy over according a beach-side burial for DMK chief M Karunanidhi has exposed Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s inexperience. He and his government stood isolated in the battle against the DMK.
The advice to deny resting space for Karunanidhi on the Marina was ill-conceived and the advisers ended up only misleading the government to commit a political blunder. In a state divided by a bipolar polity for decades, it might pass muster as it only reflects the bitter rivalry between the Dravidian majors. Many may have thought the rivalry could have ended with the demise of former chief ministers J Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi. Palaniswami may have won some brownie points with the diehard AIADMK workers, but he has earned a villain’s tag before the masses.
The Centre was keen on according the highest honour to the departed Dravidian icon. BJP national general secretary Muralidhar Rao told TOI, “Karunanidhi was a great leader. Prime Minister has conveyed a strong message by coming personally to pay floral tributes to the late leader. It is only proper that he has been given space on the Marina to rest”. Another senior BJP leader said a Union minister even called up a senior Tamil Nadu minister to convey the message that the Centre was in support of burying Karunanidhi on the Marina.
Anticipating trouble from the state government, DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi had requested for help from the Centre a few days ago. Sources said a senior Union minister assured her all help from the Centre.
Palaniswami’s initial hesitation to allocate space on the Marina was guided by the perceived sentiments of the AIADMK cadres, who would not have wanted to see a memorial for Karunanidhi by the side of Jayalalithaa’s, said a senior AIADMK leader preferring anonymity. The AIADMK cadres have not taken the DMK’s opposition to Jayalalithaa’s memorial on the Marina lightly.
But after the Madras high court order on Wednesday giving a go ahead to the DMK’s plans, the CM made a retreat and decided not to appeal against it for multiple reasons. One, he sensed the AIADMK was isolated in the fight and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Rajaji Hall weighed heavily on his mind. A section within the AIADMK is happy about the final outcome though as all the petitions challenging Jayalalithaa’s memorial have either been withdrawn or dismissed.
Going by the tardy security arrangements put in place by police to manage the crowd near Rajaji Hall, the state government was ill-prepared to handle any serious law and order problem.
There was also a chorus for preserving Karunanidhi’s body at the party headquarters till the DMK could secure space for him on the beach front, in other words, till the DMK returned to power in the state. Had the script been played out on those lines, it would have given headache to the CM and his government.
LEFT ALONE
Saying No To Marina Space Earns EPS Tag Of A Villain
Jayaraj Sivan & Julie Mariappan TNN
Chennai:09.08.2018
The controversy over according a beach-side burial for DMK chief M Karunanidhi has exposed Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s inexperience. He and his government stood isolated in the battle against the DMK.
The advice to deny resting space for Karunanidhi on the Marina was ill-conceived and the advisers ended up only misleading the government to commit a political blunder. In a state divided by a bipolar polity for decades, it might pass muster as it only reflects the bitter rivalry between the Dravidian majors. Many may have thought the rivalry could have ended with the demise of former chief ministers J Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi. Palaniswami may have won some brownie points with the diehard AIADMK workers, but he has earned a villain’s tag before the masses.
The Centre was keen on according the highest honour to the departed Dravidian icon. BJP national general secretary Muralidhar Rao told TOI, “Karunanidhi was a great leader. Prime Minister has conveyed a strong message by coming personally to pay floral tributes to the late leader. It is only proper that he has been given space on the Marina to rest”. Another senior BJP leader said a Union minister even called up a senior Tamil Nadu minister to convey the message that the Centre was in support of burying Karunanidhi on the Marina.
Anticipating trouble from the state government, DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi had requested for help from the Centre a few days ago. Sources said a senior Union minister assured her all help from the Centre.
Palaniswami’s initial hesitation to allocate space on the Marina was guided by the perceived sentiments of the AIADMK cadres, who would not have wanted to see a memorial for Karunanidhi by the side of Jayalalithaa’s, said a senior AIADMK leader preferring anonymity. The AIADMK cadres have not taken the DMK’s opposition to Jayalalithaa’s memorial on the Marina lightly.
But after the Madras high court order on Wednesday giving a go ahead to the DMK’s plans, the CM made a retreat and decided not to appeal against it for multiple reasons. One, he sensed the AIADMK was isolated in the fight and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Rajaji Hall weighed heavily on his mind. A section within the AIADMK is happy about the final outcome though as all the petitions challenging Jayalalithaa’s memorial have either been withdrawn or dismissed.
Going by the tardy security arrangements put in place by police to manage the crowd near Rajaji Hall, the state government was ill-prepared to handle any serious law and order problem.
There was also a chorus for preserving Karunanidhi’s body at the party headquarters till the DMK could secure space for him on the beach front, in other words, till the DMK returned to power in the state. Had the script been played out on those lines, it would have given headache to the CM and his government.
LEFT ALONE
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