Vijay government moves Supreme Court on Thirupparankundram row

The Tamil Nadu government headed by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has moved the Supreme Court challenging orders passed by the Madras High Court on lighting of a lamp at a stone pillar near a dargah on the Thirupparankundram hill.

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The High Court’s Division Bench had, in early January this year, confirmed a previous Single Judge Bench order directing the Subramaniya Swamy Temple management in Thirupparankundram to light the Karthigai Deepam at the ‘deepathoon’ (stone pillar) atop the hill, besides the usual places.

The previous DMK regime in the State had been unable to convince the court that the lighting of the lamp may stir the hornet’s nest and lead to public disturbances. The Single Judge had dismissed the apprehensions of the State as an “imaginary ghost”. The Bench had remarked that such a turn of events would happen only with the State’s blessings, and not otherwise.

“It is ridiculous and hard to believe the fear of the mighty State that by allowing representatives of the Devasthanam [temple management] to light the lamp at the stone pillar near the top of the hill located within its territory of Devasthanam land, on a particular day in a year, will cause disturbance to public peace. Of course, it may happen only if such a disturbance is sponsored by the State itself,” the High Court Single Judge Bench had observed.

The High Court had urged the State to not “stoop” to that level to achieve a political agenda.

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The court had reasoned that allowing a few persons to light the lamp and permitting worship was not an unmanageable task, the High Court had noted.

The State is being represented by advocate B. Karunakaran in the Supreme Court.