Thirupparankundram : BJP hails HC order

The BJP on Tuesday (January 6) welcomed a Madras High Court order on the Thirupparankundram hill issue, which upheld a single judge’s directive allowing the lighting of a lamp at a stone pillar in Madurai, and accused the DMK, Congress and the INDIA bloc of being “anti-Hindu” and “anti-Sanatan”.

Hours after a division bench of Justices G Jayachandran and K K Ramakrishnan delivered the verdict, senior BJP leader and Union minister Piyush Goyal said the ruling was a “slap on the face of the appeasement policy” of the INDIA bloc and a “victory of the Hindu religion”.

Goyal attacks DMK, INDIA bloc

“The two judges have given conclusive direction that this is an age-old practice. This is a matter of the Hindu religion and the sentiments of the local people. The practice has been going on for centuries. This order has clearly lifted the veil of the DMK government, Chief Minister M K Stalin, his son and deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Congress and all the INDIA bloc members,” Goyal said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.

Also Read: Madras HC upholds lighting of deepam at Thiruparankundram hilltop with curbs; Stalin to move SC

The high court bench also slammed the DMK government, which had submitted that there was no evidence to establish that the pillar was a “deepathoon”, saying it should not “stoop to that level” to achieve its “political agenda”.

Court backs temple ownership

The bench made it clear that the spot on which the stone pillar (deepathoon) is located belongs to the Sri Subramania Swamy temple.

The Tamil Nadu government, meanwhile, indicated that it would appeal against the order in the Supreme Court.

BJP alleges judicial intimidation

Goyal also slammed INDIA bloc members for moving an impeachment motion against Madras High Court judge Justice G R Swaminathan, who had earlier held that the Arulmighu Subramania Swamy temple was duty-bound to light the lamp at the ‘deepathoon’, in addition to the customary lighting near the Uchi Pillaiyar Mandapam.

Also Read: Thiruparankundram Deepam row: Experts debunk claims of ancient pillar

The BJP leader claimed that the DMK took the initiative for the impeachment motion, which was signed by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, Samajwadi Party’s Dharmendra Yadav, NCP’s Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Arvind Sawant, among others.

“They are intimidating the judiciary and levelling false charges against the honourable judge,” Goyal alleged.