In a major blow to the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu, the Madras High Court upheld an order passed by a single bench over the Thiruparankundram row, permitting lighting the lamp on the deepathoon (stone pillar) atop the hill. While the Tamil Nadu government staunchly opposed the move, the court dismissed the DMK government's apprehensions, calling it ridiculous.
The row erupted in early December, after a bench led by High Court G.R. Swaminathan ordered the lighting of a lamp at on the stone pillar on the hilltop. The state government opposed the move, arguing the stone pillar was actually a survey stone, and it is located close to a dargah. The government also raised law and order challenges. However, the bench held that the dargah is not affected by lighting the map at the pillar.
But the state government refused to oblige by the High Court's directions, and a lamp was lit at the usual Utchi Pilaiyar temple alone. Prohibitory orders were issued in the hill premises to prevent a law and order issue.
Hindutva outfits, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, conducted protests demanding that the state government follow court's directions. The issue simply erupted into a major political row in the state. The DMK maintains it is not against the Hindu faith and has conducted Kumbhabhishekam over 3,000 temples, and said it would not let Hindutva forces to destroy communal harmony in the state.
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For years, the BJP has been trying to gain popularity in the state and consolidate Hindu votes in the name of Lord Muruga, a deity identified closely with Tamil culture. BJP leaders have taken out statewide yatras in the name of Lord Muruga in the state.
The row reminds one of how the BJP and Hindutva forces managed to dent the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s vote bank in Kerala over the Sabarimala row: first following the entry of young women in Sabarimala, and second over the Sabarimala gold theft case.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, held soon after the Sabarimala verdict permitting entry of young women to the temple, the CPI(M)-led LDF lost in all 20 seats except one. Likewise, during the recently held local body polls in the state, the Left front lost heavily, losing power in five corporations.
