On 31 March 2025, more than 200 Muslims visited the Thiruparankundram hilltop Sikkandar Badusha Dargah in the Nellithope area of Madurai to offer special prayers in observance of Ramzan. After the prayers, they exchanged Ramzan greetings and celebrated together. During the special prayers, they made duas for religious harmony, the flourishing of natural resources, and rainfall.
The police were notified and took steps to verify the identities of the visitors, checking names and identity cards before allowing them to proceed up the hill. Additionally, security personnel were stationed along the road leading to the hill, as well as at the Nellithope area and the base of the hill, to ensure safety and prevent any potential incidents.
The heightened security was prompted by recent claims from certain Muslim fundamentalist groups who have asserted the right to perform animal sacrifices, including roosters and goats, on Thiruparankundram hill. The hill is situated above a sacred Hindu site, which has added to the tensions.
Reason Behind the Tension:
A series of recent incidents have strained the once-harmonious relationship between Hindus and Muslims in the region. Some Islamist groups have been pushing for the right to conduct animal sacrifices on the hilltop, further claiming that the entire Thiruparankundram hill should be renamed Sikkandar Hills. These tensions have been exacerbated by divisive rhetoric from Muslim politicians, which has fueled discord between the communities.
The situation escalated on 27 December 2024, when Madurai police intervened to detain a group of Muslims family attempting to bring goats and roosters to the hilltop dargah for ritual sacrifice. Syed Abu Dahir, a 53-year-old from Malaiyadipatti in Rajapalayam, arrived with his family and animals for the ceremony but was stopped by authorities at the base of the hill. Police informed them that bringing livestock up the hill was prohibited, which led to a protest by over 20 local Muslims at the foot of the hill in solidarity with the family.
The following week, on 5 January 2025, another large group of Muslim protesters gathered at Thirupparankundram Hills, demanding permission to offer prayers at the mosque located at the top. When the police denied their request, tensions escalated, leading to a brief scuffle and the detention of the protesters.
On 17 January 2025, during the Santhanakoodu Festival at a nearby dargah, social media posts began circulating about an upcoming “Equality Feast” (Samabanthi Bhojan) on 18 January at the hilltop dargah, where goats and roosters were allegedly to be sacrificed. Fearing communal unrest, police set up barricades and conducted searches to prevent the transportation of livestock to the hill. When the dargah Jamath was informed that animal sacrifices were not allowed, protests broke out. Members of the Jamath, along with other Muslim protesters, clashed with the police, causing further disruptions.
The situation was exacerbated by the involvement of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), an ally of AIADMK and a group linked to the banned terror outfit PFI. These elements are believed to be behind the attempts to conduct animal sacrifices at the sacred Thirupparankundram Hill.
Furthering tensions, on 21 January 2025, DMK Manapparai MLA Abdul Samad was accused of conducting an illegal survey around the temple with intentions to gain control of the hill. On the same day, Indian Union Muslim League member and Ramanathapuram MP, MP Navas Kani, who also holds the position of chairman of the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board, has stirred further discord by declaring that the dargah on the hilltop is Waqf property. He also shared a post on social media claiming that Muslims had consumed cooked non-vegetarian food at the foothills, which outraged Hindus and devotees. This move sent shockwaves through the region, further intensifying existing tensions.
(With Inputs From Hindu Tamil)
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