Chennai, May 5 (BPNS)
The BJP and RSS are taking up the Dharamapuram Adheenam issue wherein the DMK government banned the carrying of the mutt head in a palanquin. BJP state president, K. Annamalai in a statement on Thursday said that there was politics behind the ban and that people were questioning as to why the government was banning the programme.
He said that the Dharmapuram Adheenam was in existence even before the DMK ideology was born and that the party would provide all support to the ‘Pattina Pravesam’ function.
It may be noted that R. Balaji, Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) , Myladuthurai had banned the ‘Pattina Pravesam’ of carrying the head of the Mutt of the Dharmapuram Adheenam in Myladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu in a silver palanquin. The ban was issued on April 27th after Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi had visited the mutt. This was following the concern raised by the Dravidar Kazhagar, the ideological arm of the DMK, that allowing ‘Pattina Pravesam’ would lead to law and order situations in the area.
The Aadheenam is a Tamil word meaning a Shaivite mutt and the Dharmapuram Aadheenam was to carry out the function on May 22 when it was banned by the state government. The current pontiff of the Dharamapuram Aadheenam Srilasri Masilamani Gnanasambanda paramacharya Swamigal took charge of the Mutt on December 13, 2019, and was carried on a palanquin to mark his taking charge as pontiff. A similar ‘Pattina Pravesam’ was organized by the mutt at Vaithiswaran Kovil near Seerkazhi when the pontiff was carried in a palanquin on December 24, 2019.
Annamalai in the statement said that the BJP will be at the forefront to conduct the ‘Pattina Pravesam’ and he was personally ready to carry the pontiff in the palanquin.
He also said that the ‘Pattina Pravesam’ was held even when the DMK leader late M. Karunanidhi who is the father of Stalin was the Chief Minister.
Other than the BJP, the RSS and other organisations owing allegiance to the saffron ideology will also be conducting massive protests across the state. A senior leader of the RSS while speaking to BPNS said, “We will coordinate all the like-minded organisations as well as other Mutts and spiritual centres against the government decision. This is a calculated move of the DMK government against the Hindus and the rituals of the Hindus and cannot be allowed.”
Meanwhile, the Vaishnavaite Guru Mannargudi Sri Sendalangara Jeeyar has strongly come out against the ban on ‘Pattina Pravesam’ by the DMK government. In a statement, he said, “I warn this Dharmadrohi and Desadrohi government of Tamil Nadu for their anti- Hindu works. If they interfere with the works of Hindu beliefs and temples there will be strong repercussions from the Hindus.”
K. Annamalai also said that Article 23 of the constitution on forced labour that was invoked by the Myladuthurai RDO was not applicable to the religious event. He said that pupils who are carrying the palanquins consider this as a divine service to the god.
