- Madurai High Court upheld order to light Karthigai Deepam at Thiruparankundram stone pillar
- Court noted issue was politicised and urged administration to mediate between communities
- BJP welcomed verdict, criticising DMK and calling it a win for Hindu faith in Tamil Nadu
The Madurai High Court has upheld a single judge's order directing the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the stone pillar atop Tamil Nadu's Thiruparankundram in the city, bringing closure to a long-standing and contentious issue. According to a division bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice KK Ramakrishnan, the issue over the lighting of the 'deepam' has been "politicised unnecessarily".
The Court observed that the district administration ought to have treated the issue as an opportunity to bridge the gap between the communities through mediation. It further held that since the hill is a protected site, any activity carried out atop must strictly comply with the provisions of the Act.
Clarifying that the lamp may be lit, the Court noted that public access to the ceremony will be restricted and will be subject to consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The case arose from a petition filed by Hindu Tamil Party leader Rama Ravikumar, seeking directions to light the Karthigai Deepam (lamp) at the hilltop pillar. On December 1 last year, Justice GR Swaminathan allowed the petition and ordered that the ceremonial lamp be lit on the festival day. However, the order was not implemented after the authorities cited possible law and order concerns.
Temple authorities, however, have maintained that this is the traditional spot where the deepam has been lit continuously for over a hundred years, in accordance with established customs and Agama practices. Opposing their plea, the state government and the temple administration argued that there was no conclusive proof to establish the existence of a lamp pillar on the hilltop. They also raised concerns that allowing the lamp to be lit could lead to law and order problems, citing sensitivities related to the hill, which also houses a 'dargah'.
Protests over the issue intensified after a 40-year-old man died by self-immolation as the controversy reportedly shook him.
BJP reacts
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) praised the Madurai High Court's verdict, calling it a "huge win" for the "Hindu faith" in Tamil Nadu. Hitting out at the ruling DMK, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said it is a "huge embarrassment for the DMK".
"Impeachment motion - anti Constitution - anti Hindu gang loses - Will Uddhav Sena apologise for supporting this?" he wrote in a post on X.
