In a major setback to the M.K. Stalin government in Tamil Nadu, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday upheld a single judge's ruling allowing the lighting of the Karthikai Deepam at the stone pillar (Deepathoon) atop the Thirupparankundram hillock.
A division bench of Justice G. Jayachandran and Justice K.K. Ramakrishnan ruled that the petitioners opposing the earlier order had failed to produce any “formidable” evidence to show that the Agama Shastras do not permit the lighting of the lamp.
VIDEO | Madurai, Tamil Nadu: Thirupparankundram lamp lighting row - Madras HC's Madurai Bench upholds single judge's ruling allowing lighting of lamp on 'Deepathoon'. Advocate Arun Swaminathan speaks on the verdict:#Madurai #TamilNaduNews
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The bench also made some scathing remarks against the state government, observing that the issue had been "politicised unnecessarily."
Dismissing the government's concerns regarding law and order, the judges said it was “ridiculous and hard to believe” that the lighting of a lamp by the temple management on temple land could disturb public peace.
“We pray that no state should stoop to that level to achieve their political agenda,” the court remarked, as quoted by Bar and Bench.
“We find that the apprehension expressed by the district administration regarding the probability of disturbance of public peace is nothing but an imaginary ghost created by them for their convenience and to put one community against another under suspicion and constant mistrust,” the bench said.
However, the court allowed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to impose conditions to preserve the monument on the hill.
The court also criticised the Waqf Board for its “mischievous submission,” claiming that the Deepathoon belongs to the dargah.
