A controversy has emerged over documents submitted by the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department during court proceedings related to the Thiruparankundram Deepathoon issue, after a senior priest publicly denied issuing a statement attributed to him.
According to submissions made in court, the HR&CE Department had reportedly included letters from several priests to support its argument that the lamp cannot be lit on days other than Karthigai Deepam.
One of the letters cited was attributed to Sivasri Pitchai Gurukkal, who was quoted as saying that, as per “Sivagamams,” it is customary to light the Deepam only on Karthigai Deepam day and not on any other date.
However, after the contents of the purported letter began circulating in the media, Pitchai Gurukkal issued a public clarification, stating that he had not provided the information claimed in the document. Responding to the claims, he alleged that his name and authority were used without his consent: “The Department has submitted as a letter information that I never gave,” he said.
“நான் சொல்லாத தகவல்களைக் கடிதமாகக் கொடுத்து விட்டனர்” பிள்ளையார்பட்டி பிச்சை சிவாச்சாரியார் மறுப்பு. pic.twitter.com/SrPOCR5BA2
— 𑀓𑀺𑀭𑀼𑀱𑁆𑀡𑀷𑁆 🇮🇳 (@tskrishnan) December 6, 2025
This contradiction has triggered sharp reactions from Hindu organisations and opposition groups, who have questioned whether the HR&CE submitted inaccurate or fabricated material before the court. They have also accused the department of attempting to influence judicial proceedings to prevent the lighting of the lamp at Thiruparankundram’s Deepathoon.
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