Rajinikanth hits out TN CM for being absent at DMK Chief Karunanidhi’s funeral

Actor Rajinikanth on Monday lambasted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy for not being present at the funeral of DMK President M Karunanidhi.

Speaking at an event organised by the Tamil film industry to pay homage to the great screenplay and dialogue writer, Rajinikanth said, “”I was unable to bear the news of Dr Karunanidhi’s demise. I kept thinking of the times that I had spent with him. Having watched TV, I knew that there were huge crowds that had gathered to see him. Despite that, I went to see him but couldn’t. I returned without being able to pay homage. Early next morning, I went and paid my homage. He wasn’t in power but despite that, the personnel of the three armed forces gave him the respect that was due to him. However, I have a grudge. When the Chief Ministers of all the neighbouring states were present at his funeral to pay their respects, must the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu not have been there? Should the entire cabinet not have been there? What will others think? Who do you think you are? MGR? or Jayalalithaa? However, one consolation was the fact that the state government did not choose to appeal against the Madras High Court verdict of granting the great leader space on the Marina.”

The actor paid glorious tribute to the veteran politician, author, screenplay and dialogue writer, and five time Chief Minister, saying, “I cannot imagine an India without Kalaignar. Tamil Nadu has lost one of its big identities. If there is a big function, I do not know who they will invite from now on. When someone of significance comes down to the state, I do not know who they will call upon. The credit for having carried a party on his shoulders for over 50 years, despite a number of backstabbings and sinister attempts to disintegrate the party, goes to this leader, who became the party’s head at the young age of 45.”

After listing Dr Karunanidhi’s achievements in the literary and political fields, Rajinikanth said, “I don’t have to tell about his cinema journey. He was the man who created two towering personalities in films. It was he who made MGR, an actor, into a star with his dialogues in Malai Kallan. Again it was Karunanidhi who made Sivaji Ganesan into a superstar with a single film, Parasakthi.”