BJP state chief Nainar Nagenthran (right), party veteran H Raja (centre) and other partymen being arrested in Thiruparankundram on Thursday
MADURAI: The Karthigai Deepam issue has snowballed into a major controversy in Tamil Nadu, with the state govt Thursday defying for the second time a Madras HC order allowing lighting of the lamp at Deepathoon (a stone lamp pillar) atop Thiruparankundram hills, even as a division bench of the HC rejected its appeal against a contempt order. Meanwhile, BJP state chief Nainar Nagendran and dozens of others were detained by police during protests.State govt filed an SLP in the Supreme Court challenging the division bench order, which dismissed its appeal against a single bench order on a contempt plea.Earlier in the day, the bench of Justices G Jayachandran and K K Ramakrishnan dismissed the state’s appeal, saying it was meant to preempt contempt action. The bench upheld Justice G R Swaminathan’s orders permitting lighting of the lamp at Deepathoon with CISF protection. The single bench had also initiated contempt proceedings Wednesday after the Deepam was lit at Uchi Pillaiyar Temple, not at Deepathoon atop the hill, as directed by it on Dec 1.Despite the single-bench order on Wednesday, police had prevented the petitioner and 10 others, who had been allowed to light the lamp at Deepathoon, from proceeding to the hills citing prohibitory orders. Following the rejection of the state’s appeal Thursday, Justice Swaminathan resumed the contempt proceedings, quashed the prohibitory orders imposed by Madurai district administration, and once again permitted lighting of the lamp atop the hill, this time under protection of Madurai city police. If officials defied the order, “harsh consequences will ensue”, the judge said.However, police once again stopped the individuals from proceeding, saying it would be detrimental to public order. It was a re-enactment of the scene from Wednesday at the Thiruparankundram foothills, with hundreds of BJP workers and Hindu group activists protesting against state govt, and over 1,000 police personnel deployed. BJP’s Nagendran had an argument with police before he was detained along with several others, including H Raja and Amarprasad Reddy, and about 50 cadres to prevent them from proceeding to the hills.Meanwhile, the HC division bench will on Dec 5 take up the appeals filed by Madurai district collector and executive officer of the Subramaniya Swamy temple authorities, challenging the order passed by the single bench allowing the lamp to be lit at Deepathoon.Justice Swaminathan had Monday allowed Rama Ravikumar and other petitioners to light the lamp at Deepathoon, brushing aside objections on proximity of the site to a dargah and the fact that the lamp has been lit at Uchi Pillaiyar Temple for decades.
