Just days after the DMK coming to power, the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department has issued a notice calling applications for the appointment of ‘Jeeyar’, the religious pontiff of the Vaishnava sampradaya.
The 50th pontiff of the Srirangam Ranganathar Temple Ranujar Madam, Srimad Sriranga Narayana Jiyar Swamigal attained samadhi on 11th July 2018 at 3:00 pm. Since then, the position of Jeeyar has remained vacant.
In this light on 6th May 2021, the HR&CE department issued a circular calling ‘applications’ for the post of Jeeyar saying that those belonging to the Thengalai sect and well versed in the Vedas, Agamas, Naalayira Divyaprabandham, and other temple traditions and rituals can apply till 4:00 PM, 8th of June.
After the circular came to light, many Hindus were aghast and expressed strong opinion against the HR&CE department’s move.
Many practicing Hindus especially those of the Vaishnava sampradaya questioned as to why the government was interfering with Hindu traditions and customs alone. “Will the government have the guts to appoint the Cardinal or Archbishop of the Church or the Maulvi for a Mosque?”, asked a person who wished to be unidentified.
Senior BJP leader H Raja strongly condemned the move the government. He wrote on his Twitter page, ‘The first anti-Hindu act of the anti-Hindu government. The attempt to appoint the Jeeyar by the government is atrocious. Will these enemies of the Hindushave the courage to appoint a Cardinal Archbishop? There seems to be no other option but to come to the streets and fight. ‘
இந்துவிரோத அரசின் முதல் இந்து விரோதச் செயல். அரசே ஜீயரை நியமிக்க முனைவது மிகப் பெரிய அராஜகம். கார்டினல் ஆர்ச்பிஷப் பாதிரியாரை நியமிக்கும் துணிச்சல் இந்த இந்து விரோதிகளுக்கு வருமா? வீதிக்கு வந்து போராடுவது தவிர வேறு வழியில்லை போலும்.
— H Raja (@HRajaBJP) May 10, 2021
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