‘HC order on Deepam against established law’: DMK Minister S Regupathy vows to move SC

Terming the Madras High Court order allowing lighting of Karthigai Deepam at the stone pillar near the dargah atop the Thiruparankundram hillock that houses the famed Murugan temple at its foothills contrary to established law, senior DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Regupathy on Tuesday said the state government would challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Earlier, a Division Bench of Madras High Court upheld the directive of a single judge to light the Karthigai Deepam at the stone pillar atop the Thiruparankundram hillock, claimed to be a Deepathoon adjacent to the Sikkandar Dargah in Madurai city.

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“The Tamil Nadu government and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department will file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the verdict of the Division Bench of the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench). We have every right to go on appeal,” the minister told the media.

“The Judges should have passed the order granting permission only on the basis of facts pertaining to lighting of deepam at the stone pillar. There is no evidence for that. No one has raised the demand to light the deepam at the stone pillar during the reign of former chief ministers Rajaji (C Rajagopalachari), Kamarajar, MGR (MG Ramachandran), and Karunanidhi. When it was raised during the chief ministership of late Jayalalithaa, she had firmly turned it down, making it clear that it can’t be allowed,” he said.

The Division Bench of Justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan dismissed more than 10 appeals, including those filed by the state government and the Dargah administration against the order of Justice GR Swaminathan, permitting lighting of deepam at the stone pillar adjacent to the dargah. But the longstanding practice of lighting deepam was at the deepa mantap at the Uchi Pillaiyar temple at the middle of the hillock, right above the sanctum sanctorum of the Murugan temple (Subramania Swamy temple) at the foothills.

“This verdict is against established law and contrary to well settled legal principles. The culture and tradition of the Tamils have to be protected. Granting permission because someone has sought it is utterly wrong. There is an ulterior motive in sneaking in a new practice contrary to tradition through Court intervention. Hence, we oppose it,” he said, adding “We however don’t want to denigrate the verdict.”

“This is against the sentiments of the Tamils. The question before the people of Tamil Nadu is why the Court is imposing a non-existent practice. Vested interests are trying to gain mileage in this issue which cannot be allowed. As such, we are challenging it in the apex court,” he made it clear.