A heated exchange broke out in the Lok Sabha after DMK MP TRBaalu made personal remarks about Madras High Court judge Justice GR Swaminathan while raising the Thiruparankundram Karthigai Deepam issue. The comments prompted immediate intervention from Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and the Chair, who directed that the remarks be expunged.
Speaking during Zero Hour, Baalu referred to the recent controversy over the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam atop the Thiruparankundram hill near Madurai. He questioned who had lit the lamp and alleged that “miscreants” attempted to create tension. While criticising those who approached the court, he referred to the judge involved as an “RSS judge,” triggering strong objections from the Treasury benches.
After Baalu made the controversial remark, it triggered an immediate objection from Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
Rijiju said the comment amounted to casting aspersions on the judiciary and violated parliamentary norms. “In our parliamentary democracy, we have maintained the discipline of avoiding disparaging remarks,” he said, adding that Baalu’s statement could create “unnecessary trouble.” Members on the Treasury benches also intervened, citing the sub judice status of the matter.
Presiding officer Krishna Prasad Tenneti ordered Baalu’s remarks to be expunged, stating that Parliament cannot refer to judges in such terms. While directing the deletion, he observed, “You referred to an honourable judge with an inappropriate label. This is withdrawn and deleted.” Baalu, however, maintained that his comments had context and did not retract them.
The dispute centres on Justice GR Swaminathan’s 1 December 2025 order enabling the lighting of the sacred Deepam at Thiruparankundram. The state government challenged the move on law-and-order grounds. When the ritual was not carried out on 3 December 2025, clashes broke out between Hindus and police personnel, escalating allegations of contempt and further polarising political discourse in Tamil Nadu.
In the Lok Sabha, Baalu accused “certain groups” of stoking communal tensions and called for central intervention. Responding on behalf of the government, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs L. Murugan countered that it was the DMK administration that was discriminating on religious lines. He alleged that the state government was obstructing worship and mishandling law and order in the region, adding that it was operating on “vote-bank politics.”
(Source: OneIndia)
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