Chennai, Feb 5 (PTI) On the Thirupparankundram issue, DMK leader and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Minister, P K Sekar Babu on Wednesday accused the BJP of trying to create a perilous situation for the government, and he alleged attempt by them to stoke riots and warned the Saffron party that if violence was instigated, it would be put down by Chief Minister MK Stalin with an iron hand.
Law Minister S Regupathy told reporters in Pudukottai that while Tamil Nadu is noted for its harmony among people belonging to various faiths, some were attempting to incite riots. That will not happen in Tamil Nadu as Hindus and Muslims live as brothers, he said and asserted that, "evil forces that seek advantage from the situation will be reined in." Babu claimed that out-and-out it was the members of the BJP and not those from Hindu outfits who took part in the February 4 protest at Palanganatham in Madurai over the Thiruparankundram issue. He alleged they wanted to create "danger" for the DMK regime and by organising a huge turnout, the Saffron party tried to create a communal rift and he dismissed the stir as unwarranted.
Blaming the BJP for seeking political mileage by raking up a "non-issue," the minister said he would not be surprised if its vote percentage hits zero in the next polls.
"May be, in northern states, this may be possible. I would like to tell H Raja (senior BJP leader) and K Annamalai, our Chief Minister M K Stalin has asked us to play it down. You are trying to stoke riots here (Tamil Nadu) like you do in northern states. The chief minister here is resolute, an iron man," he said, adding the CM would not allow violence in Tamil Nadu and in case, violence was instigated, it would be put down by Stalin with an iron hand.
He described Tamil Nadu as the land of Dravidianism, Periyar EV Ramasamy and one that is governed by the DMK's Dravidian model.
Citing about a century old court cases connected to the issue, including one which was decided during the British Raj by the Privy Council, and two present pending pleas (years 2023 and 2025) in court, the minister said the government complied with the court directives and warned the BJP against seeking political mileage.
"The government will follow the court's orders. The government is for all the people," he said, adding he would soon inspect the Thirupparankundram hill in Madurai.
Citing vox populi reports in television channels, the minister said the local people have opined that an unnecessary issue was being created by some outside elements and people of the Thiruparankundram area belonging to Hinduism and Islam continue to live in harmony.
"We have to consider this as an unnecessary problem," he said, adding the worship being practised so far in compliance with court directives would continue.
BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai hit back and said it was a peaceful protest by the devotees. "Was there any violence? Was there any damage to public property? There was a huge turnout, was any bus torched? it was a peaceful protest. Who is creating trouble?" he asked and blamed the DMK over the issue and objected to consumption of alleged non-vegetarian food in the hill and slammed the DMK for its appeasement politics.
He said the Privy Council itself had ruled favouring the temple in 1931 and wanted Sekar Babu to read that judgment.
He claimed that in nearly 350 places across the state, BJP leaders and workers were placed under house arrest to prevent them from reaching the protest venue in Madurai.
Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai hit out at the BJP over the issue and said it was the Saffron party that orchestrated riots in Ayodhya in the past and they were now trying to repeat it in Thirupparankundram and announced a visit on February 6 to both the Dargah and the Lord Murugan temple there to foster harmony.
The crux of the issue is, broadly, the insistence of some Muslims that they be allowed to slaughter animals on the Dargah premises atop the Thirupparankundram hill. The Dargah is near the Kasi Viswanathar temple on the same hill.
Hindu groups object to it besides consumption of non-vegetarian food there and some allegedly naming it 'Sikandar' hill while it is traditionally known as Thirupparankundram hill.
Thirupparankundram temple in Madurai is the first of the six sacred places of worship of Lord Muruga. Arulmugu Subramania Swamy temple is regarded as the first 'padi veedu.' On January 5, 2025, Islamic outfits staged a protest on the issue and a massive protest was held on February 4, 2025, at Palanganatham in Madurai by Hindu outfits and related issues had been taken to court on and off, beginning in the 1920s. PTI VGN VGN KH