Congress hails High Court order to allow M Karunanidhi's burial at Marina Beach

The aerial view of Marina beach after a tsunami triggered by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean hit the area in the southern Indian city of Madras December 26, 2004. At least 390 have been killed after a tsunami hit India's southern coast on Sunday, a federal cabinet minister and officials said. REUTERS/Babu AH/CN - RP5DRIAGJMAA

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.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the court's decision is a huge victory for the DMK and recalled that party chief Rahul Gandhi had strongly supported the idea of a memorial for Kanunanidhi on the Marina beach.

The Madras High Court earlier in the day, dismissed all pending petitions challenging burials on the Marina.

A division bench, which resumed the special hearing of the DMK's plea for a burial space for Karunanidhi at the Marina after adjourning it in the wee hours, rejected the state government's contention that there were legal hurdles in way.

"Huge setback for proxy callers of Delhi Durbar conspiring to deny Kalaignar his rightful Burial place.

"Rahulji strongly supported the idea of a memorial for Karunanidhi at Marina. Why are Central/State Govts silent? Huge victory of justice for DMK. Long live Kalaignar," he said on Twitter.

Gandhi had yesterday said, "Like Jayalalitha ji, Kalaignar was an expression of the voice of the Tamil people. That voice deserves to be given space on Marina Beach. I am sure the current leaders of Tamil Nadu will be magnanimous in this time of grief."

Karunanidhi died yesterday evening at the age of 94 following prolonged illness.