Actor and BJP member Namitha has alleged that she was subjected to rude and discriminatory treatment during her visit to the Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple in Madurai on 26 August 2024. The incident has sparked controversy, with the actor stating that a temple official demanded proof of her being a Hindu before allowing her entry into the temple.
The actor took to Instagram to express her disappointment. She stated that she felt alienated in her own country for the first time and was compelled to prove her faith. “It’s not about being asked if I am a Hindu, but the manner in which I was questioned,“ she wrote.
Namitha described the official’s behaviour at the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple as “rude and arrogant.”
View this post on Instagram
The actor, also a state executive member of the BJP, expressed that her visit was part of a spiritual pilgrimage to celebrate the Janmashtami festival at Madurai ISKCON. She and her husband wore masks during the visit to avoid disturbing other devotees who might recognize her.
Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple Official Response
A senior temple official, however, offered a different perspective. He stated that the inquiry was standard procedure since Namitha and her husband wore masks. The official added that after the couple clarified their faith, Namitha was anointed with kumkum on her forehead and permitted to enter the temple.
Namitha Social Media Post
In her Instagram video, Namitha also called on the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister, P K Sekar Babu, to take action against the temple official for what she described as inappropriate behavior.
In the video, she said, “I came to celebrate Janmashtami in Madurai. This morning, we Krishna devotees went to visit the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. But something shocking happened there. I have been to so many temples to date. But no one has spoken to me like this. A Superintendent/Correspondent Mr Uttara behaved very rudely and arrogantly to me and my husband. He asked me to show him my ‘Hindu certificate’, and he asked me to show even my caste certificate. Till today, no one has asked me such things. Because everyone in India knows that Namitha is born Hindu. I got married in ISKCON Tirupati, my children are named Krishna Aditya and Kian Raaj, named after Lord Krishna. I request you sir to take necessary action.”
(With inputs from India Today)
Subscribe to our Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram channels and instantly get the day’s best stories.