Annamalai Slams DMK After BJP Leaders Arrested in Karthigai Deepam Row

GG News Bureau
Chennai, 5th Dec: Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai on Friday launched a fierce attack on the DMK government, accusing it of suppressing religious freedoms and defying court orders after several BJP leaders were arrested during the Karthigai Deepam row in Madurai. The controversy erupted when devotees were stopped from lighting the traditional sacred lamp atop the Thiruparankundram Subramaniya Swamy Temple hill, triggering widespread tension.

In a strongly worded post on X, Annamalai condemned the arrests of senior leaders including state president Nainar Nagendran and former MP H Raja, calling the DMK regime “anti-Hindu” and accusing the police of violating court directives.

“The anti-Hindu DMK government has once again willfully defied the court’s order by preventing devotees from lighting the sacred Karthigai Deepam lamp atop the Thiruparankundram temple hill,” he wrote. He added that the continued police action was “blatant contempt of judicial authority” and demanded the immediate release of all detained BJP workers.

The anti-Hindu DMK government has once again willfully defied the court’s order by preventing devotees from lighting the sacred Karthigai Deepam lamp atop the Thiruparankundram temple hill.

Vehemently condemn the TN Police for the arrest of @BJP4TamilNadu State President Thiru… pic.twitter.com/aXkvvY8xMP

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 4, 2025

Arrests Spark Political Outrage

The Tamil Nadu BJP accused the ruling DMK of trampling on religious rights. The party stated that Nagendran was arrested despite visiting the temple for worship.
“The Stalin government is unleashing repression on Murugan devotees and creating anarchy,” the party wrote on X.

The arrests followed clashes on Wednesday during the Karthigai Deepam festival—an important celebration symbolising light over darkness. The unrest was triggered after state officials failed to light the sacred lamp at the hilltop stone pillar, despite the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directing that it must be done atop the hill.

Court Order vs. Government Practice

For decades, the sacred lamp has been lit at the Deepa Mandapam, a lower-level structure, due to logistical and safety concerns. But earlier this week, Justice G R Swaminathan ordered authorities to ensure the lamp was lit at the hilltop itself, acting on a petition from a right-wing activist.

However, government officials maintained that altering the long-standing practice could risk public safety. On Wednesday, they lit the lamp at the Deepa Mandapam, choosing tradition over the court directive.

This triggered protests from Hindu groups, who accused the state of deliberately ignoring the High Court’s orders. The court had allowed the petitioner and ten others to climb the hill along with security personnel, but swelling crowds made the situation volatile.

Security Forces Block Entry Amid Rising Tensions

Although the CISF had been deployed to enforce the court order, police stopped both the petitioner and security forces from ascending the hill, citing the potential for escalation.

The decision led to confrontations between activists and police, ultimately resulting in multiple arrests—including senior BJP leaders.

A Hill of Harmony Now a Political Flashpoint

Thiruparankundram hill—home to a historic Subramaniya Swamy Temple, the Kasi Viswanathar Temple, and the 17th-century Sikkander Badusha Dargah—has long stood as a symbol of communal coexistence. But this week’s events have turned it into a political battleground between the BJP and the DMK government.

With the BJP escalating its attack and demanding accountability, the standoff is expected to intensify, keeping the spotlight firmly on the state’s handling of religious traditions and judicial compliance.