‘Deepam’ row hands NDA a polarizing political plank ahead of Tamil Nadu polls

BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Friday described the DMK-led government in poll-bound Tamil Nadu as “anti-Sanatan Dharma” while speaking in the Lok Sabha on the controversy surrounding the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam lamp at Madurai’s Thiruparankundram temple.

Referring to past incidents, Thakur cited the alleged police lathi-charge on Hindu devotees who attempted to light the traditional lamp at the Deepathoon pillar. He questioned why the DMK government was seeking to block what he called a centuries-old ritual.

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Describing the actions as “wilful disobedience”, “contempt of court” and a violation of constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, he demanded an apology from Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and called for central intervention to protect Hindu traditions.

Erupting ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled next year, the controversy is increasingly becoming a central element of the BJP’s “anti-Sanatan” political pitch against the ruling DMK.

At the heart of the dispute is the lighting of the traditional Deepam at the Deepathoon, a stone pillar located on the Thiruparankundram hill near a dargah in Madurai. The hill is a shared religious site, housing both a Murugan temple and a centuries-old dargah. It has witnessed conflicts in the past and has often been a flashpoint for political tensions in the state.

The DMK government has moved the Supreme Court challenging a Madras High Court order that allowed temple devotees to light the lamp. The state has argued that the order undermines an earlier ruling that discouraged judicial interference in temple rituals. It has also reportedly warned that the decision could fuel communal tension, especially with Assembly elections approaching.

In a related development, opposition MPs led by the DMK submitted a notice in the Lok Sabha seeking to move a motion for the removal of Justice G.R. Swaminathan, who issued the direction. The move drew sharp criticism from the BJP, which termed it an attempt to “intimidate” the judiciary.

Given the BJP-led NDA’s majority in the Lok Sabha, the impeachment notice is widely seen as symbolic political messaging ahead of the state polls. Meanwhile, despite Tamil Nadu’s politics being dominated by the DMK and the AIADMK, the BJP’s vote share has been steadily rising.

The AIADMK’s decision to stay out of the NDA alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections proved significant. Contesting separately, the AIADMK secured around 20.5% vote share, while the BJP-led NDA garnered about 18.2%. With the DMDK’s votes added, the NDA’s combined tally could have reached around 41%. Analysts believe this division eased the path for the DMK-led INDIA bloc to win all 39 seats in the state.

The BJP’s central leadership and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, have now stepped firmly into the debate.

While Thakur raised the issue in Parliament, senior BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, criticized the impeachment move. Shah accused the Opposition of indulging in “appeasement politics” and said it was unprecedented for a judge to face removal proceedings over a judicial order. State BJP president Nainar Nagenthran said the ruling upheld Tamil cultural rights, while party leader Narayanan Thirupathy accused the DMK and its allies of minority appeasement and of orchestrating the controversy.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat also weighed in, stating that the issue could be resolved within the state itself through what he described as the “strength” and “awakening” of Hindus.

Responding to a question at an RSS event in Tiruchirappalli earlier this week on whether the organisation should escalate the issue nationally, Bhagwat said it could be settled in Tamil Nadu itself based on Hindu unity and resolve. “The issue needs to be resolved favourably for Hindus,” he said. “That is certain, and we will do whatever it takes.”