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Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K Annamalai launched a scathing attack on the DMK government over the arrest of several party leaders in connection with the Karthigai Deepam row, demanding the immediate release of all those detained and insisting that the "anti-Hindu DMK government implement the court's orders" without further defiance.
This comes after chaos erupted around the Thiruparankundram hilltop Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Tamil Nadu's Madurai district when devotees were stopped from lighting the sacred Karthigai Deepam lamp atop the temple hill. Sharing a post on X, Annamalai wrote, "The anti-Hindu DMK government has once again willfully defied the court's order by preventing devotees from lighting the sacred Karthigai Deepam lamp atop the Thiruparankundram temple hill. Vehemently condemn the TN Police for the arrest of@BJP4TamilNaduState President Thiru@NainarBJPavl, senior leader Thiru@HRajaBJPavl, and other functionaries while peacefully attempting to uphold the court's directive and honour the tradition." https://x.com/annamalai_k/status/1996593420748615711 "With Section 144 already quashed by the Honourable Court, the continued obstruction by the DMK regime amounts to a blatant contempt of judicial authority. We demand the immediate release of all those detained and insist that the anti-Hindu DMK government implement the court's orders without further defiance," the BJP leader later added. Earlier on Thursday, in a post on X, the BJP Tamil Nadu handle wrote that the Tamil Nadu Police had arrested the state president, Nainar Nagendran, who had gone to Thiruparankundram. https://x.com/BJP4TamilNadu/status/1996615654951252018 "The Tamil Nadu Police have arrested our state president, Mr Nainar Nagendran, who went to Thiruparankundram. The Tamil Nadu government, which prides itself on the Dravidian Model under Stalin's leadership, is also arresting those who went to worship Murugan at the temple. The Tamil Nadu Police and the Stalin government are unleashing repression on Murugan devotees and creating anarchy, the post read. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the unrest unfolded during the Hindu festival of Karthigai Deepam, a celebration symbolising the triumph of light over darkness. Trouble began on Wednesday when activists from right-wing groups clashed with police after state government officials failed to light the sacred lamp at the hilltop stone lamp pillar. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had earlier directed that the lamp must be lit at the hilltop temple itself. For centuries, Thiruparankundram hill has been regarded as a centre of religious coexistence and communal harmony. The hill houses the historic Subramaniya Swamy Temple, the Kasi Viswanathar Temple, and the Sikkander Badusha Dargah, a 17th-century mosque built long after the temples came into existence. Earlier this week, acting on a petition filed by a right-wing activist, Justice GR Swaminathan ordered state authorities to ensure that the sacred lamp was lit atop the hill. However, government officials viewed this as a break from the longstanding practice of lighting the lamp at the nearby Deepa Mandapam, a ritual followed for several years. Consequently, officials lit the lamp at the Deepa Mandapam on Wednesday, adhering to the traditional practice instead of the court's directive. The non-compliance triggered strong reactions. Large groups belonging to Hindu outfits confronted the police, alleging that the High Court's directive was deliberately ignored. The court had permitted the petitioner, along with ten others and security personnel, to ascend the hill and light the lamp. But as crowds swelled and tensions rose, the police assessed the situation as unsafe. To enforce the court order, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had been deployed. However, fearing a further escalation of tensions, police prevented both the petitioner and CISF personnel from reaching the hilltop. (ANI)
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