CHENNAI: At 2.30pm when the news broke, no one could have been more devastated than former chief minister M Karunanidhi. As the news flashed on TV channels that
will be arrested and sent to Tihar Jail, the DMK patriarch broke down, sobbing. Kanimozhi is his favourite daughter and he had once tried hard to ensure she didn't enter politics. Today, as he grabbed the import of the development,
couldn't control his emotions.
"If you have a daughter and if she is punished for no mistake, how will you feel? That's the way I feel," he told reporters, a tinge of sadness evident on his face. When reporters sought his view on the court order, Karunanidhi said tersely, "It is the court's decision. I can't give my views on that."
Earlier in the day, about 11.30am after the court adjourned proceedings, Karunanidhi, who was at his Gopalapuram residence, rushed to his CIT Colony bungalow where his daughter lives. Soon, senior leaders, including his younger son MK Stalin, trooped in, looking sombre. The court decision has come as a major blow for Karunanidhi and his DMK, just recovering from a major debacle in the assembly polls.
Anxiously awaiting news from the court, Karunanidhi even skipped his usual meagre lunch of sambar rice and curd. Later, he was too upset to swallow even a morsel. "He was very upset. When he got the news, he just burst into tears. We have never seen 'thalaivar' breaking down. He refused to speak to anyone for a while. Then, 'thalapathi' (as M K Stalin is referred to by partymen) and some other seniors tried to console him," a senior DMK leader told TOI.
As Karunanidhi seemed to slip into gloom, the defining emotion among party seniors was one of anger, against Congress. "Many of the seniors reacted angrily, saying Congress has betrayed its ally. But 'thalaivar' didn't react. He just listened as everyone expressed their feelings. Even chinnamma (Kanimozhi's mother Rajathi Ammal) burst out against Congress," said a DMK leader.
On whether the court decision would strain relations with Congress, Karunanidhi said in his typical ambiguous fashion, "We have good relations with everyone." On what decision he intended to take in the wake of the court verdict, he said, "DMK is a democratic party. I cannot take a decision on my own. Only, the party's executive committee or general council can meet and take a decision." While denying he would be going to
Delhi on Saturday, Karunanidhi said he would discuss the issue with his team of legal advisers. When pressed about how he felt about the election results, he said, "I have already told you. People have decided to give me good rest."
Party seniors say Karunanidhi had been under tremendous pressure in the past couple of days, though most leaders had given him hope, assuring him that the court would surely grant bail for Kanimozhi. He had refused to meet even party functionaries, mulling the defeat of the DMK in the elections and his daughter's court ordeal all by himself. On Friday afternoon, he held informal discussions with seniors like DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan, Stalin, former ministers, including Arcot N Veerasamy, K Ponmudi, KN Nehru, MRK Panneerselvam, Thangam Thennarasu and Parithi Ilamvazhuthi.
Karunanidhi's personal physician, Dr Gopal, who came to the CIT Colony house, developed sudden chest pain and was seen being rushed to a hospital for treatment. Rajathi Ammal took a flight to Delhi on Saturday morning.
Sources said Karunanidhi cancelled his trip to Delhi to see his daughter.
"Thalaivar is deeply hurt. He was disturbed seeing visuals of his daughter's arrest," a former minister confided.
