The HR&CE Department “hasn’t imposed any limitations on devotees’ freedom to offer food, conduct poojas in the name of Shri Ram, or provide prasad in Tamil Nadu temples” on the occasion of Ram temple consecration on January 22, said Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) P.K. Sekarbabu.
In a statement released on X, Mr. Sekarbabu went on to call any such news “an attempt to divert people’s attention from the DMK Youth Conference in Salem.”
His statement came only a few hours after Union Finance Minister alleged on social media that the Tamil Nadu Government has banned watching live telecast of the consecration ceremony. In her post, Ms. Sitharaman had also alleged that in temples managed by the HR&CE Ministry, “no puja/bhajan/prasadam/annadanam in the name of Shri Ram is allowed. Police are stopping privately held temples also from organising events.”
Directly addressing, Ms. Sitharaman, Mr. Sekarbabu said that it is unfortunate that people in office, like Union Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman and others, are purposefully propagating this erroneous information.
According to officials, temples including the Erikatharamar Temple in Maduranthakam and Sri Kothandaramaswamy temple in Ayodhyapattanam in Salem district have lined up special pujas. At Madhuranthakam, special puja will be held and prasadam will be distributed. At the Salem temple, where Lord Rama is seen seated in Pattabhishekam pose with Sita Devi, Lakshmana and Hanuman, after the Puja, bhajans will be held.
“These are internal matters of temples in which the department does not interfere,” an official source told The Hindu. Officials have only been orally instructed not to permit viewing any programme on TV inside the temple premises. “This could lead to unnecessary complications and also disturb other devotees in the temple,” said the official source.
