Dravidian...

A controversy erupted shortly after Karunanidhi’s death as the Tamil Nadu government rejected the DMK’S demand for allotting space on Marina beach for the burial of its leader. DMK working president MK Stalin had written to chief minister K Palaniswami seeking space inside the mausoleum complex of Karunanidhi’s mentor CN Annadurai at the Marina. Chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan said as there were several cases pending in the Madras high court over burial of leaders at Marina Beach, the government was not able to allot space near Annadurai memorial.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi also tweeted his condolence message. “Loved by the Tamilian people, Kalaignar strode the stage of Tamil politics, like a colossus, for over 6 decades. In his passing, India has lost a great son. My condolences to his family as also to the millions of Indians who grieve for their beloved leader tonight.” He too is expected to attend the funeral, as are Telengana CM K Chandrashekar Rao, West Bengal CM, Mamata Banerjee, and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Describing the five-time Tamil Nadu CM as a doyen of public life, President Ram Nath Kovind said the country was poorer after his death. “Extremely sad to learn of the passing away of M Karunanidhi. A doyen of our public life, as a contributor to the development of Tamil Nadu and of India, he has few peers. Our country is poorer today...” Kovind tweeted.

The central government said the national flag will fly half-mast on Wednesday in Delhi and capitals of all states, with a state funeral being accorded.

Karunanidhi’s life spanned much of modern 20th- and 21stcentury Indian political history. Inspired by the Periyar-led Self Respect Movement and the broader rationalist Dravidian ideology, which resisted what it saw as North Indian and Brahaminical dominance, he first participated in a political protest at the age of 13 in 1937. Becoming an independent scriptwriter, Karunanidhi seamlessly moved between politics and cinema. He helped set up the DMK in 1949, under the leadership of CN Annadurai; became a legislator in 1957; and eventually chief minister for the first time in 1969.

Karunanidhi was influenced by rationalism, atheism, a strong anti-caste tradition, and welfare politics. Sharing a complex relationship with Indira Gandhi’s Congress party -- he supported her between 1969 and 1971, and later opposed her vehemently on the Emergency -- his key internal challenge through the ’70s and ’80s came from friend turned foe, MG Ramachandran who broke away to form the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

It was only after MGR’S death that Karunanidhi returned to power as CM in 1989. But the rivalry continued with MGR’S protege, J Jayalalithaa and both took turns at the helm of the state for over two-and-a-half decades.

This period also saw the emergence of the DMK as a significant national player, becoming a key member of the National Front government in 1989, United Front government in 1996, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government after 1999, and the United Progressive Alliance government after 2004.

But there were blots on his career as well. Out of power in the state, Karunanidhi often had to face corruption charges levelled by the state government led by Jayalalithaa -- much like she did when he was in power. At the Centre, the DMK minister A Raja and Karunanidhi’s daughter, Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, were implicated in the 2G scam which came to be a defining mark of UPA-2. The two were acquitted by a CBI court last December.

The DMK had to suffer setbacks in recent years, losing the last two assembly elections and getting wiped out in the last Lok Sabha election. But with his rival Jayalalithaa’s death and the internal strife within AIADMK, the party’s stars are reported to be on the ascendant once again.

In Tamil Nadu, his loss will be felt immensely. Tamil superstar Rajinikanth said: “Today is a black day in my life, one which I can never forget as I lost my Kalaignar. I pray for his soul.” CM K Palaniswami said he was anguished to hear about the demise of the very senior leader of the DMK for 50 years.

Karunanidhi was also a significant player in the non-congress and non-bjp political stream nationally and served as an inspiration to other regional leaders for his role in standing up for a strong Indian federal structure, linguistic diversity, and challenging Delhi. Karunanidhi’s death also raises questions about the future of Tamil politics and the DMK itself. Son MK Stalin is often regarded as his successor, but he does face a challenge from his elder brother, MK Alagiri, who is strong parts of the state. And there is Karunanidhi’s daughter, Kanimozhi, often seen as his favourite and also the inheritor of his literary legacy.

Karunanidhi’s death marks an end of an era in Indian politics in general, and Tamil politics in particular, for it represents the phasing out of the pre-independence generation which witnessed the early years of nation building, challenged and expanded the idea of Indian nation, and became key players of state and national politics.