A row erupted today between the Union Finance Minister and BJP leader, Nirmala Sitaraman, and the government of Tamil Nadu, over the former’s allegation that the State government sought to ban pujas in temples.
As the allegation went viral over X (formerly, Twitter), the State government issued a clarification that there was no such ban.
But that did not help matters, as the social media came alive again with copies of a letter from the authorities, refusing permission for holding processions and bhajans.
For example, a letter from Alwarthirunagar police refusing permission to hold a bhajan under a pandal (marquee) in the Thenthiruperai Vishnu temple, addressed to one Mrs Revathi Selvakrishnan, has been making rounds. The police cited three reasons. One, the letter requesting permission was not given 15 days before the day of the event, as required by law. Two, the temple “belongs to the HR&CE department” and hence a permission letter from the department should have accompanied the letter seeking police permission—which was not done. Three, there are some law-and-order issues in the Srirangam temple. The letter further said that if the order was disregarded, action would be taken. Another police letter posted on X refused permission for holding processions (Balakrishna Swamy temple, Kanyakumari).
FM’s tweet
The finance minister wrote on X: “TN govt has banned watching live telecast of #AyodhaRamMandir programmes of 22 Jan 24. In TN there are over 200 temples for Shri Ram. In HR&CE managed temples no puja/bhajan/prasadam/annadanam in the name of Shri Ram is allowed. Police are stopping privately held temples also from organising events. They are threatening organisers that they will rip off pandals. Strongly condemn this anti-Hindu, hateful action.”
In a follow-up post, she noted that “heart-breaking scenes in several parts of TN. People are threatened for organising bhajans, feeding the poor, and celebrating with sweets even as we wish to watch Hon. PM participate in #Ayodhya. Cable TV operators are told that there is a likely power shutdown during the live telecast. This is I.N.D.I Alliance partner DMK’s anti-Hindu efforts.”
Sekar Babu refutes
Later in the day, P K Sekar Babu, minister of Charitable Endowments, Government of Tamil Nadu, posted a message on X, stressing that there was no ban on any puja, annadaanam (free food distribution) or giving away prasadam in any temple in the State. Claiming that such rumours were meant to divert attention away from the youth wing conference of the DMK underway in Salem, Sekar Babu regretted that someone in as high a position as the finance minister was spreading rumours.
The debate continues on X, often acrimoniously, with one side stressing that the police had indeed sought to clamp down on celebrations in temples and the other side claiming that there was no such action by the police.