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Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman, TNBJP Chief Annamalai Condemn Alleged Order By TN Govt; TN Govt Secretariat Sources And DMK HR&CE Min Say No Such Order Given

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There were reports of “unofficial verbal orders” that explicitly prohibited any temple under the ambit of the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department from conducting special prayers & poojas, offering Annadanam, or organizing related programs on 22 January 2024. This move sparked considerable dissatisfaction among the devotees.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took to her X handle to criticise this alleged move by the TN government. She wrote, “TN govt has banned watching live telecast of #AyodhaRamMandir programmes of 22 Jan 24. In TN there are over 200 temples for Shri Ram. In HR&CE-managed temples, no puja/bhajan/prasadam/annadanam in the name of Shri Ram is allowed. Police are stopping privately held temples also from organising events. They are threatening organisers that they will rip off pandals. Strongly condemn this anti-Hindu, hateful action. Heart-breaking scenes in several parts of TN. People are threatened for organising #bhajans, feeding the poor, celebrating with sweets even as we wish to watch Hon. PM Narendra Modi participate in #Ayodhya. Cable TV operators are told that there is a likely power shutdown during the live telecast. This is I.N.D.I Alliance partner DMK’s anti-Hindu efforts. TN govt is unofficially claiming law and order issues to justify the live telecast ban. False and fake narrative! There was no L&O issues on the day of #Ayodhya verdict. Not even the day when PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation, in any part of the country. The groundswell and the voluntary participation of people to celebrate #ShriRam in TN has rattled the anti-Hindu #DMK.”

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party chief Annamalai also posted on his X handle. He wrote, “The nation is in a state of celebration after the inauguration of Lord Rama’s idol in Ayodhya by our honourable Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi. Irrespective of caste and religion, all people welcome this auspicious day. Ahead of this day, which all the people of the country have been looking forward to for many years, special pujas and charitable works including annadanam are being held in all the temples across the country. In this situation, it seems that the DMK government, which is engaged in anti-Hindu activities in the name of running a secular government, has banned special pujas and food offerings in Tamil Nadu temples. What right does the DMK government have to interfere in temple practices? Apart from that, it is said that the police should not hold any programme on behalf of the temple administration or the public in Tamil Nadu in view of the installation of the statue of Sri Ram and should not broadcast live through a big screen for the public to see. Temples in Tamil Nadu belong to devotees. I would like to remind you that the DMK government has no right to interfere unnecessarily in the temple procedures or to interfere with the worship practices. People of other faiths will not want to prevent the fundamental right of Hindus from worshiping in temples. Who is the DMK government trying to satisfy in this divisive effort? I urge DMK to give up its petty activities of pissing off Hindu people once a month. Disregarding DMK’s ban, I would like to inform you that for the Ayodhya Sri Ram temple festival, special pujas and charity work including annadanam will continue in Tamil Nadu temples.” 

Following this outrage from all sections of Tamil Nadu, some news channels carried a news item quoting “Secretariat sources”. The news card reads, “News is spreading on social media that the Tamil Nadu government has banned special pujas in temples in the name of Ram. No such notification has been issued” . 

Additionally, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department minster PK Sekar Babu posted on his X handle that, “A planned rumour is being spread to divert the DMK Youth Conference, which is going on in full swing in Salem. The HR&CE Department has not imposed any restrictions on devotees to perform pooja in the name of Ram, give food or offer prasad in temples in Tamil Nadu. It is regrettable that people like Union Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, who are in a high position, are spreading this completely untrue and intentional false news!”

 

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