The Tamil Nadu government and the forest department are targeting exclusively on Hindu temples. Gadeshwara C Subramaniam, the state president of Hindu Munnani, criticizes the Tamil Nadu government for misleading devotees with the elephant route draft report.
He stated, “A deliberate scheme has been devised to cause issues for numerous temples in Tamil Nadu, including Marudhamalai and Velliangiri Hills. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has recently published a draft report identifying 42 elephant corridors in the state. According to the 2023 report, the elephant population is declining in 20 forest divisions, including five elephant reserves — Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Anamalai, Agastya Malai, and Srivilliputtur. This scheme, purportedly aimed at concealing elephant corridors, is actually intended to obstruct devotees’ access to many temples.”
His statement said, “For instance, the Sorimuthayanar temple en route to Agasthiyar in Tirunelveli district has come under the control of the forest department, leading to numerous restrictions on devotees’ entry. Similarly, in Coimbatore district, temples situated along the forest trails, such as Veerakaliamman temple, Kodiveli Amman, and Badrakali Amman, face significant restrictions. The forest department imposes strict limitations on devotees’ access to temples like Poondi and Velliangiri. However, it’s worth noting that elephant corridors have existed for ages in the same area where the disputed Karunya Institute is located. Despite this, due to the intervention of the DMK government, which claims its origin from Christian alms, neither the forest department nor the Tamil Nadu government has taken any action. On the contrary, they continue to criticize the Isha Center, which is involved in environmental awareness and spiritual work.”
He added, “In the world-renowned Marudhamalai temple, the elephant corridor is being exploited to inconvenience devotees. This situation necessitates an understanding of historical context. The DMK government remained silent when Christians openly declared their intention to convert Chennimalai into a Christian hill. There is a fear that the DMK government may order the forest department to designate this temple as an elephant corridor, hindering worship at Marudhamalai. This temple is celebrated as the seventh abode of Lord Muruga by Muruga devotees in Kongu mandalam, and it attracts millions of devotees who perform Kavadi and worship. Hindus should understand that if this is allowed, the DMK government will pose a threat to every Murugan temple.”
He accused, “Karunya college, located on the Kalkothi-Valayar elephant corridor, has deliberately concealed the damage caused to wild animals, including elephants. Spread over nearly 1,200 acres, Karunya does fall within the elephant corridor. However, it is only the temples that Hindus have been visiting for centuries that are being designated as part of the elephant corridor. This raises questions about the justification of such actions. Is there a separate law for Hindus in Tamil Nadu? Is there a different set of rules for Christians?”
“For instance, since the DMK government came to power, hundreds of temples have been demolished without providing alternative places for devotees. Reasons such as road expansion, encroachment, and court verdicts are cited, yet the same actions are not taken against places of worship of other religions. Is the DMK government’s atheistic stance the reason behind this hatred towards Hindus?” he said.
He said, “The Tamil Nadu government should not accept the proposal for a new elephant corridor if it infringes upon the rights of Hindus under the guise of elephant protection. Similarly, if there are any obstacles to devotees’ entry at important temples like Marudhamalai and Poondi, Hindu Munnani will mobilize devotees and stage a massive demonstration.”
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