Deepam row: Tension at Thiruparankundram after DMK govt govt defies Madras High Court order

Chennai: Tension prevailed at Thiruparankundram in Madurai on Wednesday evening as right-wing activists clashed with police after the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department officials failed to light the Karthigai Deepam atop the hill near a dargah as per the directions of the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court.

Justice G R Swaminathan, had on Monday ordered that the Deepam be lit at Deepathoon atop the hill, changing the century-old practice of lighting the lamp at the Deepa Mandapam near Uchipillaiyar temple. But, the HR&CE officials lit the fire at the Uchipillaiyar temple at 6 pm as per the tradition.

As the petitioner, Rama Ravikumar, informed the court that the order has not been executed, Justice Swaminathan not merely pulled up the DMK dispensation for breaching his order but also asked CISF personnel guarding the high court premises to accompany the petitioner with 10 people to the hills to help light the lamp.

The judge called the act “symbolic but necessary” to uphold the authority of the court. Before the petitioner and CISF personnel could reach the hill - Ravikumar was accompanied by more than 10 people in breach of the court order - the Madurai District Administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 in Thiruparankundram until further orders.

Prohibitory Orders imposed

As the situation escalated, top police officials rushed to the village to ensure peace even as the Tamil Nadu government challenged Justice Swaminathan’s order before the principal bench of the Madras High Court.

Police led by Madurai Commissioner J Loganathan prevented the petitioner and CISF personnel from climbing atop the hill citing the prohibitory orders and the government knocking at the doors of the high court against Swaminathan’s order.

“We are not allowing you. We saw people rioting a while back. Only we know how the situation will evolve here. This is the stand of the local police. We will go for an appeal,” a police officer was seen telling the petitioner who suggested that they could at least allow two people and a CISF personnel to the hillock. “No way, prohibitory orders are in place,” the officer responded to the petitioner, as television channels beamed live. As the police remained persistent, the CISF personnel left Thiruparankundram at around 10.15 pm.

“In order to maintain law and order, and in view of public safety and public peace, a ban has been imposed on climbing the Thiruparankundram hill and gathering in the temple area under Section 163 BNSS. A ban has also been imposed on protests in Thiruparankundram,” a statement from Madurai District Collector said.

A haven of religious coexistence

Before the petitioner arrived, activists belonging to right-wing organisations broke the security cordon and tried to climb the hill but were stopped by police. In the melee, three policemen were injured even as the atmosphere was charged with protesters raising slogans against the state government, terming it “anti-Hindu”.

Thiruparankundram hill has been a haven of religious co-existence and communal harmony for centuries, hosting the Subramaniya Swamy temple, Kasi Viswanathan temple, and Sikkander Badusha dargah.

However, in February this year, Hindu organisations launched a protest after Lok Sabha MP Nawaz Kani allegedly consumed meat at the hills – since then, the temple has been at the centre of a row though the residents of the village continue to live in harmony.

The political fall out

As events unfolded in Madurai, the CPI (M) demanded that the Chief Justice of India act against Justice Swaminathan for attempting to create disharmony in the society and trying to fuel tensions between police and the CISF. While DMK allies lauded Chief Minister M K Stalin for acting swiftly and prevailing peace in Thiruparankundram, the BJP was quick to condemn the DMK dispensation for its “anti-Hindu” stance and its continuous attempts to single out Sanatana Dharma.

The petitioner, Rama Ravikumar, is a known Hindutva activist affiliated with many Hindu groups and eyewitnesses said he was accompanied only with outsiders and no locals were seen with him.

While Hindu activists wanted the lamp to be lit at the Deepathoon atop the hill, the HR&CE department maintains that it will continue to light the fire at the Uchipillaiyar Temple.

“The Deepam was lit at Uchipillaiyar Temple at 6 pm. But there has been no lighting of the Deepam at the Deepathoon,” Justice Swaminathan said as he ordered CISF personnel to accompany Ravikumar.

“Defying the order of this Court would send a very bad signal… That would sound the death knell of democracy itself,” the judge wrote in his order.