Organising poojas not HR & CE’s job: TN parties oppose Shivarathri celebrations

Tamil Nadu’s Hindu Religious and Charitable and Endowments (HR & CE) department’s decision to hold Mahashivarathri celebrations at a ground belonging to the famous Kapaleeswarar Temple has triggered a political controversy with ruling DMK’s allies taking objection to state government conducting “religious functions”.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and Dravidar Kazhagam, the parent organisation of the DMK, have issued strong statements lambasting the department’s move to hold celebrations.

While DK chief K Veeramani said the job of the HR & CE department was just to audit accounts and oversee temple administration, VCK spokesperson Vanni Arasu sought to know whether the DMK was trying to please the BJP and RSS after having come to power by flaunting its “secular credentials.” DMK is often dubbed as “anti-Hindu” by BJP.

However, HR & CE Minister P K Sekarbabu clarified that the event was being conducted by the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore and not by the department. Sekarbabu said the department was only helping the temple administration in creating the infrastructure and making arrangements for the massive celebrations planned by the temple to be held between 6 pm on March 1 and 6 am on March 2.

“Since a huge number of devotees are expected to attend the event, we are making arrangements for them. We are not forcing anyone to come to the event or to worship Lord Shiva,” Sekarbabu said. The ground where the event will be held was recovered recently from a reputed school in the area.

In his statement, Vanni Arasu said the HR & CE department was setting a “dangerous precedent” by organising religious functions. “The department should not get involved in such activities. The department should confine itself to overseeing the administration and managing the temples,” he said.

Veeramani, considered close to Chief Minister M K Stalin, also criticised Sekarbabu for the HR & CE’s decision, saying it is not the job of the department to conduct or involve itself in poojas in temples. “Their job is just to oversee the accounts and manage the temples. The HR & CE department should stick to its brief and should not hurt the sentiments of rationalists and those who subscribe to secularism just to appease Brahmins,” he said.

Veeramani sought to know how can the department, which allowed persons from all communities to serve as priests, can take a contradictory stand on this issue.

He also recalled an incident involving V R Nedunchezhian, who had served in the cabinets of M Karunanidhi, M G Ramachandran, and J Jayalalithaa, when he visited the famous Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram. “The minister did not accept the prasadam given to him. When questioned, he said the job of the department is just to oversee the temple and not to conduct poojas. This statement had earned Periyar’s praise for Nedunchezhian,” Veeramani said.

Over 44,000 temples and trusts in Tamil Nadu come under the HR & CE department.

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