Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday welcomed the Madras High Court verdict in the closely watched Thiruparankundram Deepathoon dispute in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, launching a sharp attack on the M.K. Stalin-led DMK government and allies in the INDIA bloc while branding them “anti-Hindu”.
Goyal, who is also the BJP’s election in-charge for the state, expressed satisfaction over the court’s decision upholding the long-standing tradition of lighting lamps at the ancient temple, associated with Lord Murugan, and dismissing the state government’s objections. He said the verdict was a matter of “great satisfaction” for devotees of the centuries-old temple, where the practice of lighting the Deepathoon had been followed for generations.
The minister also accused the DMK leadership—Chief Minister Stalin and son, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin—of consistently “attacking Sanatana Dharma and Hindus”. Recalling Udhayanidhi’s controversial remarks calling for the “eradication” of ‘Sanatana Dharma,’ Goyal alleged the subsequent prohibition on lighting the lamp was not a coincidence, adding that the people of Tamil Nadu would respond politically to the DMK’s stance, especially as the state government has decided to challenge the High Court order in the Supreme Court.
The BJP leader said that objection to the lighting of the lamp not only reflected the DMK’s mindset but also that of rest of the INDIA bloc parties associated with it. He specifically criticised parties such as the Samajwadi Party, the Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP for supporting the DMK on the issue.
The dispute arose after the Tamil Nadu government opposed the lighting of the Deepathoon, citing concerns over possible communal tension ahead of Assembly elections. Devotees approached the court, following which Justice G.R. Swaminathan, on December 1, 2025, permitted the continuation of the traditional practice. The state government appealed against the order. On Tuesday, the Division Bench of the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court upheld Justice Swaminathan’s ruling, dealing a setback to the DMK.
Earlier, DMK-led Opposition MPs had also submitted a notice during the 2025 Winter Session of Parliament seeking the removal of Justice Swaminathan, a move that drew sharp criticism from the BJP. Goyal said the verdict reaffirmed faith in the judiciary and delivered justice to devotees, while exposing the INDIA bloc’s “anti-Hindu” bias and disdain for Constitutional bodies.
He also brushed aside the DMK’s claim that the move was to avoid a communal flare-up. “They were just trying to appease members of one community,” Goyal said, labelling members of the alliance, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Supriya Sule, Dharmendra Yadav, and A Raja, as part of the “anti-Hindu movement and trying to intimidate the judiciary.”
Goyal added that it was not a political issue for the NDA, but “about upholding high Constitutional standards, the secular fabric of India and fighting the mindset of parties like the DMK and the Congress trying to divide India.”