Live Updates: M Karunanidhi laid to rest on the Marina Beach

The Congress government in Puducherry on Wednesday extended the three-day mourning to seven days following the death of DMK leader M Karunanidhi.

A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy took the decision to extend the period of mourning to seven days instead of three as announced earlier.

The chief minister said after the meeting that all government functions during this period stand cancelled as a mark of respect to the DMK leader, who breathed his last in a private hospital in Chennai on Tuesday.

The Sankaracharya of the Sankara Mutt in Kanchipuram has condoled the death of DMK President M. Karunanidhi. BJP leader La. Ganesan on Wednesday said he has conveyed the condolence message of the Sankaracharya to the late leader's son M.K. Stalin

The gun carriage carrying Karunanidhi's mortal remains moves into Sivananda Salai. Sea of humanity surrounds the carriage. Supporters wave party flags and chant slogans praising their leader, reports The Hindu.

DMK President and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Wednesday began his final journey on a flower-decked military vehicle from Rajaji Hall where his body was lying in state since early in the morning .

The Delhi Assembly was adjourned for the day on Wednesday after mourning the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. All the MLAs paid their tributes to the DMK leader who passed away on Tuesday evening at the age of 94 years.

• 30% reservation for women in government services
• Two language formula providing for Tamil and English.
• Increased the reservation for backward class in education and government jobs from twenty five percent to thirty one percent. Made a move to enable people from all castes to become archakars (priests).
• The Harijan Housing Development Corporation, established in 1972, constructed houses in the villages and gave them to Harijans free of cost.
• Desalination of Sea Water Project at Minjur, North Chennai. Desalination of Sear Water Project at Nemmeli, South Chennai.
• Metro Rail Project at a cost of Rs.14,600 crores with the assistance of Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

It was first heard at the World Tamil Meet, 2010

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday condoled the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, describing him as a "father figure" who always showed great kindness and consideration to her.

The statement released by the DMK says Karunanidhi's last journey will begin from Rajaji Hall at 4 pm. It will pass through Sivananda Salai, Anna Salai, Walajah Road, and Kamarajar Salai to reach Anna Sqaure on the Marina, reported The Hindu.

The Congress today termed the Madras High Court ruling allowing M Kanunanidhi's burial at Chennai's Marina beach as a huge setback for "proxy callers of Delhi Durbar conspiring to deny" the DMK patriarch his rightful burial place

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday after mourning the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
"Karunanidhi was a multifaceted personality and was actively engaged in social and public life, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said in an obituary reference as the house assembled

Police resort to lathi charge outside Rajaji hall to control the crowd. Huge crowd gathered to have a last glimpse of their departed leader

In a major gaffe, ABP news reports Former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi as the former CM of ‘Karnataka’. Has the ‘forced’exit of senior ABP staff affected the quality of reporting?

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa and several other political leaders in the country have expressed sorrow at the demise of former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi by recalling his contributions to cinema and politics.

Sri Lanka's incumbent President Sirisena and his predecessor Rajapaksa in tweets said they were saddened by the death of the veteran Tamil Nadu leader.

C V Wigneswaran, the chief minister of Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Northern Province, while paying tributes Karunanidhi said he led several protests for the Sri Lankan Tamil cause.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day after paying tributes to the late DMK President M Karunanidhi.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan read out an obituary reference and paid homage to the late former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday after mourning the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

"Karunanidhi was a multifaceted personality and was actively engaged in social and public life, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said in an obituary reference as the house assembled.

"He has served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for five terms. In his passing away, the country has lost an able administrator and an outstanding statesman. The House deeply mourns his death," Naidu said.

The House observed two minutes of silence before being adjourned for the day.

"Can I call you Appa for one last time my leader," DMK leader MK Stalin penned an emotional letter to his departed father and party leader M Karunanidhi on Wednesday.

Stalin in his letter said: "Rather than calling you as Appa, Appa, I have called you as Thalaivaray, Thalaivaray (my leader) more number of times. Can I call you as Appa once Thalaivaray."

Stalin asked his departed father Karunanidhi as to why he did not tell where he was going this time when his habit was always to inform his destination before starting out.

"Thirty three years back, you had said your grave should have the words... the person who had worked without rest is resting here. Have you departed with the satisfaction of having worked hard for the Tamil community," added Stalin.

“My petitions have nothing to do with Anna samadhi – which has been declared a crematorium and is not a Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violation. However, the petition is being used as an excuse by the TN government to deny a burial to Karunanidhi near Anna Samadhi, and therefore I’m withdrawing my four petitions,” said Duraiswamy. The News Minute had reported.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam paid their last respects to DMK President M Karunanidhi at Rajaji Hall on Wednesday morning.

They were accompanied by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal, Minister for Fisheries D. Jayakumar, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha M. Thambidurai and other party leaders.

The Madras High Court on Wednesday will decide on the DMK's plea against Tamil Nadu's government's decision to deny burial of the party President M Karunanidhi's body at Marina Beach.

Hearing the plea late on Tuesday night, the court directed the state government and the Chennai Corporation to file their replies and adjourned the case to Wednesday morning 8 am.

At the hearing the state government had opposed the allotment of space at Marina Beach for the burial of Karunanidhi's body.

On Tuesday, the DMK party and family members of Karunanidhi had requested the state government for allotment of space near DMK founder CN Annadurai's memorial at the Marina Beach.

Citing pending cases against the burial of bodies at the Marina Beach, the AIADMK government had said it was ready to allot two acres near Gandhi Mandapam on Sardar Patel Road where Raj Bhavan is located.

The government decision drew flak from leaders cutting across party lines including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, MDMK's Vaiko, DMDK's Vijayakanth and PMK's S. Ramadoss, who favoured a memorial on the Marina Beach. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and the CPI(M) also joined the chorus.

Ramadoss urged the ruling party not to indulge in politics in this matter, saying the reason stated by the government is not acceptable.

The mortal remains of AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran and his successor Jayalalithaa are buried near Annadurai's memorial on the Marina Beach.

A large number of people have gathered outside the Rajaji Hall here to pay their last respects to DMK President M Karunanidhi.

The mortal remains of Karunanidhi was brought to Rajaji Hall on early Wednesday after it was taken to his homes at Gopalapuram here and at CIT Colony for relatives and leaders to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

Leaders of DMK party have assembled at Rajaji Hall.

Muthuvel Karunanidhi, whose career spanning seven decades saw him be the DMK president for 50 years and CM of Tamil Nadu for five terms, died on Tuesday evening.

The Central government announced national mourning for a day, cancelled Cabinet meetings slated for 1 pm and said Karunanidhi will be accorded a state funeral. The Tamil Nadu government announced a seven-day mourning and declared a day’s holiday on Wednesday for the final rites .