Tamil Nadu Government Denies Allegations of Banning ‘Ram Puja’ in Temples

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has accused the Tamil Nadu government of banning ‘puja’ dedicated to Lord Ram in temples on January 22nd, labeling it as ‘anti-Hindu’. However, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department minister, Sekar Babu, has refuted these claims stating that there is no ban on ‘pujas’ for Ram or providing ‘annadhanam’ in Tamil Nadu temples.

Sitharaman took to Twitter and posted a series of tweets, citing a local media report that allegedly stated the Tamil Nadu government had imposed a ban on the live telecast of the Ram Mandir event. The Finance Minister strongly condemned these actions, claiming that even privately held temples were being stopped from organizing events and threatened by the police.

In response, the HR & CE minister Sekar Babu denied the allegations made by Sitharaman and emphasized that temple authorities were not instructed to prohibit any prayer or offerings in the name of Lord Ram. He further stated that such rumors were being spread to divert attention from the ongoing youth wing conference of the DMK.

The Tamil Nadu BJP chief, K Annamalai, supported Sitharaman’s claims, accusing the DMK government of an ‘anti-Sanathana Dharma’ approach and declaring that the BJP cadres would defy the ban and perform special poojas and bhajans in all temples across the state.

The Tamil Nadu government released an official statement rejecting the newspaper report shared by Sitharaman, calling it an attempt to bring disrepute to the DMK administration. The statement condemned the act of the newspaper and warned of necessary legal action.

Cable TV operators in Tamil Nadu were also allegedly informed of possible power shutdowns during the live telecast on January 22nd. Sitharaman expressed her disappointment, claiming that people were being threatened for organizing religious activities and celebrations related to Lord Ram.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has consistently accused the DMK of being ‘anti-Hindu’. However, the DMK denies these allegations and states that it respects all religions. The DMK’s opposition to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is based on the fact that it was constructed after the demolition of the Babri Masjid.