The Indu Makkal Katchi has released a press statement raising questions about the conduct of Tirunelveli District Collector Mrs. Shilpa Prabhakar Satish IAS who was called on by Christian pastors accompanied by several members from Tamil Nadu political parties excluding BJP, to file a complaint against Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK) cadres for demolishing the Christian cemetery built in front of the Uchistha Ganapathy temple at Manimoortheeswaram.
The cemetery built by the local Church right in front of the Manimoortheeswaram Uchistha Ganapathy temple, was demolished on the night of October 17 by members of the Indu Makkal Katchi after repeated pleas by the locals and Hindu organizations to Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments board and the district administration made no progress.
Following this 9 members belonging to IMK surrendered at the police station.
Sources belonging to IMK said that the Christian pastors and the political parties had met the District Collector asking for charging the IMK members under the National Security Act.
In November 2019, Legal Rights Observatory, an non-profit legal activism organization working towards safeguarding Indian interest had filed a complaint with the Tirunelveli District Collector requesting for the removal of encroachment of Christian cemetery. Responding to that complaint, the district administration had stated that the Christian cemetery is located on a private land. It added that section 145 has been imposed on the piece of land and burial rituals had been stopped due to the objections raised by the devotees and local people.
However, the IMK in its latest press release noted that the land belonging to the temple was illegally usurped by the local Church organization in which one of the organizations kept burying the dead in the cemetery.
“Are the Hindus of Tirunelveli orphans? Where did these political parties go when the temple land was illegally encroached by the Church and a cemetery was built there?”, and went on to add that the DMK-led parties, which have petitioned not to hold the Thamiraparani Pushkarani festival, have now come forward to give a voice to Christians.
“How did these vile political ailments who did not come forward to give a voice to the Nellai Hindus come together en masse for the graves built occupying the space of the temple?”, the IMK said in its press release.
The IMK also questioned how the District Collector allowed a big crowd to enter into her office violating the norms of social distancing and with many members not wearing the face masks properly.
Today all parties in TN jointly went and gave a complaint to collector of Tirunelveli to apply NSA on IMK caders who demolished the illegal cemetery.
So Hindus cannot even defend our selves in TN.
Will the collector stand up if a Temple poojari comes, and crowds her office. pic.twitter.com/oboJdCCCdJ
— Indu Makkal Katchi – இந்து மக்கள் கட்சி ( Off ) (@Indumakalktchi) October 20, 2020
“Will the Collector who showed ‘stood and welcomed’ these people treat us with the same respect if we come to her with a petition to reclaim the land belonging to the temple?”, the IMK press release said.