Local goons belonging to the DMK have taken over the Kariya Mandapam near the Vadapalani Murugan temple in Chennai and are forcing people to do the Mahalaya Ammavasai rituals (offering oblations to the departed souls) only through expensive packages offered by them.
These men can be seen roaming around with white see-through shirt and black pant with a photo of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in their pockets. The devotees who visit the mandapam feel intimidated by these goons as they behave arrogantly and force people to accept their packages or leave the place.
They force the public who come to offer prayers to the departed souls to pay ₹300-₹500 to which earlier used to cost ₹30 at the Kariya Mandapam belonging to the Greater Chennai Corporation.
While one signboard warns about middlemen, another board has been kept just next to it with the name and contact number of the person that people have to contact to get their rituals done.
BJP Spokesperson SG Suryah lashed out the DMK against the harassment by the party’s goons and asked whether the HR&CE Minister Sekarbabu would take action against such atrocities by his party men.
(With inputs from Times Of India)
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