T.N. Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P. K. Sekarbabu on Monday, January 22, 2024, alleged that the BJP wanted to continually paint a wrong picture about the State government.
Responding to the charges leveled by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on restrictions on the conduct of special pujas and annadhanams in temples, Mr. Sekarbabu said this was an attempt to mix politics with spirituality, and as far as the government was concerned there was no interference whatsoever in the conduct of temples.
“At a time when the consecration of the temple at Ayodhya was taking place, a very senior Minister in the Union Cabinet chooses to be present in Tamil Nadu. The intention is obvious: they [the BJP] want to mix politics with spirituality. They want to constantly paint a wrong picture about this government. It is very unfortunate that such a senior member of the Union Cabinet is issuing such statements,” he said.
On January 21, the government, in a press release, had said it would initiate legal action against a Tamil daily whose report about such a ban was cited by Ms. Sitharaman in a social media post.
“Yesterday (Sunday, January 21, 2024) during her visit to the Eri Katha Ramar Temple in Maduranthakam, Ms. Sitharaman sought details of the work being carried out on the premises. The donor and Bhattar explained that it was donor work, worth ₹25 lakh; she then enquired as to why the hundial funds were not used,” he said. Mr. Sekarbabu explained that it was common knowledge that funds obtained from donors are given priority in any temple renovation. Many times devotees would undertake to carry out certain renovation work relating to temples to fulfil their vows. These work projects are properly carried out, he said.
On Governor R. N. Ravi’s allegations that he found a sense of “invisible fear” writ large on the faces of the priests of Kothandaramar temple in West Mambalam, Chennai during his visit there on Monday, the Minister said Mr. Ravi was accorded a red carpet welcome and that there was no substance to his claim.
“Under the present rule of Chief Minister M. K. Stalin there is no reason for any kind of fear in the minds of either devotees or priests. Mohan Bhattar, a priest of the West Mambalam temple who met the press after the Governor’s visit had also said they were independent, and do not have any fear of any kind,” he said.
Mr. Sekarbabu said that the government has been taking the utmost care of temple staff and workers. “Archakas and bhattars are our friends and have our respect,” he said charging that the Governor had joined hands with the BJP and wanted to portray the government as being against spirituality.
The Minister, who was addressing journalists after the Kumbabhishekam of the the Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple in Kotturpuram, Chennai, said there was no ban or restrictions on temples holding special pujas or prayers. The HR&CE department was overseeing the conduct of kumbabhishekam of two Rama temples on Monday, January 22, one at Kayatharu and another at Ullangudi. He said at all temples devotees were able to perform pujas and sing bhajans. In fact, an LED screening of the Ayodhya event had been done at the Venugopal Swamy Temple in Gopalapuram.
