Chennai, Jan 6 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tamil Nadu state president Nainar Nagenthran on Tuesday mounted a sharp attack on the ruling DMK government, welcoming the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court’s decision permitting the lighting of the deepam at the Deepathoon atop Thiruparankundram Hill.

He accused the state government of repeatedly acting against Hindu religious practices under the guise of maintaining law and order.

In a statement, Nagenthran said the High Court, by dismissing the DMK government’s appeal seeking to block the lighting of the lamp, had once again stood firmly on the side of justice and constitutional values.

He said the verdict had brought immense relief to devotees and reaffirmed the long-held belief that the Deepathoon rightfully belongs to the Thiruparankundram Subramania Swamy Temple.

“The court has delivered a clear rebuke to the state government for misusing the bogey of law and order to suit its political convenience,” Nagenthran said.

He added that portraying routine and age-old religious practices as potential flashpoints for public disorder was both misleading and unacceptable. According to him, the ruling categorically rejected the DMK government’s claims and exposed what he termed its “manufactured narrative” around public order concerns.

The BJP leader alleged that despite facing repeated judicial setbacks in matters related to Hindu religious practices, the DMK government continued to pursue what he described as a persistent anti-Hindu agenda.

He said the state government showed little inclination to respect court directions and instead kept reviving the same arguments through appeals. “Even after being pulled up multiple times by the judiciary, the government has not shown any willingness to course-correct,” he alleged.

Striking a strong political note, Nagenthran said the DMK’s alleged hostility towards Hindu beliefs reflected an arrogance of power that would not go unanswered by the public.

“A government that repeatedly disrespects faith, disregards constitutional propriety, and challenges judicial authority will ultimately be shown the door by the people,” he said.

He added that the verdict was not merely a legal win for devotees, but a broader reaffirmation of religious rights and judicial balance in the state. The decision, he said, underscored the judiciary’s role in safeguarding constitutional freedoms while ensuring that long-established traditions are not curtailed for political reasons.

–IANS

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