Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin who spoke to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and offered the assistance of the state in respect of rescue and relief measures, announced that the state government would observe one day mourning for the victims of the Odisha Balasore train wreck - involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train, on Saturday.
Stalin, speaking to reporters, said he had offered all necessary assistance to the injured in the train accident. "If necessary, we will send a medical team from Tamil Nadu and other assistance," the CM said, adding that he has dispatched a team to the accident spot.
The team comprising Transport Minister S.S. Sivashankar, Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) K. Phanindra Reddy, Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Kumar Jayant and Teachers Recruitment Board Chairman Archana Patnaik, rushed to Odisha.
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DMK cancels Karunanidhi centenary events- The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) too announced that it was cancelling all the events it has scheduled for Saturday to celebrate the birth centenary of late former CM M Karunanidhi. 'Kalaingar Karunanithi's Centenary' celebrations would be halted and would be held on a different. For today, all events to mark the late leader's birth anniversary stands cancelled, a statement from the party read.
To mark the birth anniversary of Karunanidhi, the party made elaborate arrangements for celebrations across the state. A grand public meeting of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) scheduled in the state capital and it will be held on a different date, according to the statement.
The party also requested its cadres to not observe the birth centenary and to observe one minute silence to commemorate the victims of the Balasore train tragedy. The CM paid tribute to Karunanidhi Statue and visited the memorial, to mark the birth anniversary of his father and former party chief.
