A tale of two demands for Bharat Ratna: Karunanidhi or Jaya?

The copious rainfall received in the Cauvery region of Karnataka has elbowed out the demand for more water from Karnataka by Tamil Nadu’s political parties. The Cauvery water controversy has given way to demand for Bharat Ratna  for the late M Karunanidhi, the five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu who breathed his last on Tuesday.

The demand by the DMK that their late president M Karunanidhi should be honoured with Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, has stirred a hornet’s nest.

Tiruchy Shiva, the DMK MP raised the issue on the concluding day of the monsoon session of Rajya Sabha and leaders of other political outfits in Tamil Nadu joined the chorus demanding Bharat Ratna for Karunanidhi.

S Thirunavakarassar, the president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, asked the union government to honour  Dr Kalaignar with Bharat Ratna as he was a multi-faceted  personality. But he was silent on why the Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government did not consider the DMK patriarch for the honour in spite of the fact that the DMK was the second largest constituent of the UPA from 2004 to 2013.  

Not to be left behind, the AIADMK reminded the Union Government on Sunday that the general council of the party in its meeting held on December 29, 2016 had passed a resolution urging the Union Government  to  “accord Bharat Ratna to Amma (J Jayalalithaa)”. The statement by AIADMK strongman Dr V Mythreyan MP, said that the Tamil Nadu cabinet had also passed  a resolution in this regard urging the Centre to confer the highest civilian award on Jayalalithaa. 

“The AIADMK MPs had raised the issue of conferring Bharat Ratna award on Amma in both Rajya Sabha and Lok sabha in the months of January and February, 2017. The AIADMK cadres, Amma loyalists, and the people of Tamil Nadu are eagerly waiting the response of the NDA Government in this regard” Dr Mythreyan said in the statement

A social media message by Prof R Vaidyanathan , former professor, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, who stated that he would cease to be a supporter of the saffron movement if such a honour was accorded to Karunanidhi created ruckus . “L Ganesan of the BJP says that Bharat Rathna  for M.Karunanidhi  to be decided by a panel—If they give I am out of Saffron support—this is ultimate insult to my ancestors who went to jail during freedom struggle —Deshdrohis awarded by this Govt,” said the professor in his message.

He had come out earlier also against such an honour for Karunanidhi. “MK should  not be given Bharat Ratna  since he was part of the gang which declared 15-08-1947 as mourning day & when our troops came back from Sri Lanka, as Chief Minister he did not welcome them nor allowed anyone else-Are Desh Drohis given Bharath Ratna?” he had asked immediately after reports started appearing in the media that the DMK would demand the top award for the late patriarch.