Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) P.K. Sekarbabu on Tuesday said the State government would not remain a mute spectator to any violence perpetrated by the Podhu Dikshitars on the devotees of the Natarajar temple at Chidambaram.
Addressing journalists after a review meeting at the HR&CE Department headquarters in Chennai, he said devotees place the priests only next to God. “When that is the case, we cannot condone the act of the priests resorting to violence against devotees,” he said.
“This government, headed by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, will ensure that the rule of law will prevail in the affairs of the temple and if there are any violations, action will be taken against the violators,” he said.
Mr. Sekarbabu said his department only wanted devotees to offer worship from the Kanakasabha mandapam.
“We have no intention of changing any age-old practice or ritual in any temple. We just want to ensure that the court order and a G.O. permitting the department to allow darshan for devotees from the mandapam are obeyed.”
The Dikshitars, he said, were citing the Aani Thirumanjanam festival and not allowing devotees to worship from the mandapam. This had no precedence whatsoever, he added.
The Minister further said that the priests at the temple had created a power centre and were running the temple as if it were their own company. Till date, they were not providing access to the temple’s accounts, income or jewellery to the department. Even information that should be shared openly with the public and devotees is being denied, he added.
The Minister told The Hindu later in the evening that devotees were permitted to offer worship from the mandapam.
