CPI(M) leader and Madurai MP Su Venkatesan has come under fire for misrepresenting a recent speech by Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the historic Thirupparankundram Murugan temple.
In a social media post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Venkatesan claimed that Shah attempted to downplay the antiquity of the temple by referring to it as “a thousand years old.” Venkatesan shared a news card with a caption stating, “Thirupparankundram hill, a thousand years old,” says Amit Shah. Parankundram is a Tamil word three thousand years old. The conspiracy of Sanatana lies in reducing it to a thousand years. While claiming Sanskrit is tens of thousands of years old, their politics, from Keeladi to Thirupparankundram, is to confine Tamil within a thousand years.”
The news card read, “The DMK government has the audacity to call our thousand-year-old Thirupparankundra mountain as Sikandar Mountain. The DMK government is doing this for separatist and political gains. We should participate in the Muruga devotees’ conference to be held on June 22 and show our strength. – Union Home Minister Amit Shah
(At a meeting of party executives held in Madurai…)”
“ஆயிரம் ஆண்டு பழமையான திருப்பரங்குன்றம் மலை” என்கிறார் அமித்ஷா.
பரங்குன்றம் என்பது மூவாயிரம் ஆண்டு பழமையான தமிழ் சொல். அதனை ஆயிரம் ஆண்டு என சுருக்குவதில் தான் சனாதனத்தின் சதி இருக்கிறது.
சமஸ்கிருதத்தை பல்லாயிரம் ஆண்டு என்று சொல்லிக்கொண்டே தமிழை ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுக்குள் அடக்குவது தான்… pic.twitter.com/Mpyg1ytkPf
— Su Venkatesan MP (@SuVe4Madurai) June 8, 2025
However, a closer look at the actual speech delivered by Amit Shah reveals no such remark. Speaking at a public event in Madurai, Shah said, “Saalon se, Bhagwan Murugan ke bhakt yahan par apni shraddha vyakt karte hain.”
Translation: “For years, Murugan devotees have demonstrated their devotion here.”
The official translator, relaying Shah’s remarks to the Tamil-speaking audience, clearly stated, “பல ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகளாக முருக பக்தர்கள் இந்த ஆலயத்தில் பக்தியுடன் வழிபட்டு வருகின்றனர்.”
Translation: “For several thousand years, Murugan devotees have been worshipping at this temple.”
Amit Shah said Saalon se – many years
Translator clearly says பல ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகளாகThis isn’t poor understanding
Your lying & twistingYou admit Thiruparankundram is 3000 years old, that means it belongs to Lord Murugan alone, every stone, every street @SuVe4Madurai Agree ? https://t.co/JelHGhCM6v pic.twitter.com/rYf5GwaEpu
— Tinku Venkatesh | ಟಿಂಕು ವೆಂಕಟೇಶ್ (@tweets_tinku) June 9, 2025
The statement makes it evident that neither Shah nor the translator made any attempt to reduce the historical significance or age of the temple. In fact, the translator emphasized the temple’s antiquity, directly referencing “several thousand years.”
Moreover, the assertion by Venkatesan that Thirupparankundram is 3,000 years old inadvertently strengthens the central point made by Murugan devotees — that the temple and its sacred geography are deeply rooted in Tamil and Hindu religious tradition.
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