Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam heaped praise on former chief minister M Karunanidhi while adopting a condolence resolution for the DMK patriarch on the second day of the Assembly session here today.
Palaniswami said Karunanidhi was a formidable force not only in State politics but also in the country.
“He fought against Hindi imposition at the age of 13 and was five times Chief Minister which is a major achievement. He introduced good welfare schemes, which at times were followed by the AIADMK. He emerged victorious in all the elections he contested and his fame will remain forever,” he said.
Panneerselvam said even those who have political differences with Karunanidhi will be a huge fan of his Tamil.
“He was an extraordinary writer, orator and Tamil enthusiast. He toiled for the State and DMK for 94 years. Karunanidhi got chief ministers the right to hoist the national flag on Independence Day and also fought for social justice. He always had witty and wise response to any question asked of him. His demise is a huge loss to the country.”
He further said though former chief ministers M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa had political differences with Karunanidhi, he was loved by both of them.
“Karunanidhi calling me Pachai Tamilan is still fresh in my mind,” said Panneerselvam said.
A condolence resolution was also adopted for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, 12 former Tamilnadu MLAs, including Parithi Ilamvazhuthi and A K Bose, victims of Cyclone Gaja, ‘five rupees doctor’ Jayachandran and organic farmer ‘Nel’ Jayaraman,
Speaking on the condolence resolution for Karunanidhi, an emotional DMK treasurer M Durai Murugan broke down, saying that he did not think he would be mourning the death of his leader.
“When I was hospitalised in 2007, he was always by my side. He gave me second life, which I am living now. I thought that he would mourn my death, but now I have to grieve for his. Karunanidhi spent 20,411 days, which is 56 years, in this Assembly. He was instrumental in selecting several presidents. He looked upon me as his adopted son,” he said.
DMK president and Leader of Opposition M K Stalin and Durai Murugan thanked Palaniswami for his speech on Karunanidhi. Stalin met Palaniswami and Speaker P Dhanapal in person and thanked them.