Chennai, Aug 7 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin on Thursday led a silent march here to mark the seventh death anniversary of party patriarch and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

The march culminated at Karunanidhi's memorial on the Marina beachfront, where Stalin and other party leaders paid floral tributes to the late leader.

Thousands of party workers, ministers, MPs, MLAs, and senior DMK functionaries, including T.R. Baalu and A. Raja, participated in the march, walking silently in remembrance of Karunanidhi, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 94.

The samadhi was decorated with colourful flowers, and a solemn atmosphere prevailed as Stalin laid a wreath, followed by a floral tribute from other leaders.

Party workers raised emotional slogans such as "Vaazhga, vaazhga, vaazhgave; Thalaivar Kalaignar Pugazh Vazhgave (Long live the fame of our leader Kalaignar)", reflecting their enduring admiration and respect for the Dravidian stalwart.

As part of the remembrance, Stalin also unveiled two new initiatives aimed at promoting the core values of the Dravidian movement and nurturing young talent aligned with the party's ideological vision.

The first, "Kalaignar Nidhinalgai Thittam" (Kalaignar Ideological Fund Scheme), is a financial assistance programme introduced by the DMK to support young scholars who are studying and researching the Dravidian movement, social justice, and rationalist philosophy.

The second, "Kalaignar Manava Pathirikkaiyalar Thittam" (Kalaignar Student Journalists Scheme), is a joint effort by 'Murasoli', the DMK's official newspaper, and 'Kalaignar Seithigal', the party's television channel. The scheme is designed to encourage aspiring student journalists to pursue careers in socially responsible journalism that reflects the values championed by Karunanidhi.

These programmes are seen as part of a larger effort by the DMK leadership to strengthen ideological commitment among the youth and build future generations of leaders grounded in the principles of equality, social justice, and Tamil pride.

The day's events concluded with leaders and cadres renewing their pledge to carry forward the legacy of Karunanidhi and the ideals he stood for throughout his long and influential political life.

/IANS