Amid the ongoing controversy over pristest refusing devotees at the Siva temple in Cuddalore district to get atop the Kanagasabai medai in view of the Aani Thirumanjanam, an annual temple festival, Tamil Nadu Minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE) Sekar Babu said the government will ensure that devotees can take darshan without any hindrance.
“The state government will ensure devotees can take darshan without any hindrance. The efforts are being made to bring Nataraja temple under HR&CE,” the minister said.
On Wednesday, dramatic scenes unfolded at the temple as members of the HR and CE department reportedly entered the Kanagasabai with the assistance of the police. The department officials also removed a board placed by the priests at the temple, announcing that the devotees will not be allowed to get atop the sacred stage from June 24 to 27.
According to The Indian Express, the Chidambaram police registered a case against 11 ‘Podhu Dhikshitars’ under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including preventing a public servant from discharging duty, based on a complaint by Saranya, the HR and CE executive officer.
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Earlier this month, Sekar Babu had warned the temple trustees of legal action against the priest if they barred the officials HR&CE from performing their duties. This came after a government team visited the temple on June 8 to enquire about the complaints from devotees regarding the administration and accounts.
The government’s notice directed the temple managers concerned to submit these details before a five-member committee, which visited the temple on Tuesday. As the committee members reached the premises, they received a traditional welcome and were taken for a darshan. Later, however, lawyers of the priests presented their case and reasons for refusal, reported The Indian Express.
Tamil Nadu BJP vice president Narayanan Thirupathy condemned the Tamil nadu government’s move, accusing it of indulging in vendetta politics.
“We condemn the state government trying to take over Lord Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram…They (Tamil Nadu Government) have no business to enter Chidambaram’s Nataraja temple as the Supreme Court had given a judgment that the temple should be managed by ‘Dikshitars’ only,” he said.
The BJP leader’s remarks came after minister Sekar Babu said that Dhikshitars were “acting like power centres” in the temple and measures have been taken to bring the temple under the ambit of HR and CE department.