Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party leader Pawan Kalyan has strongly criticized the Tamil Nadu government, alleging that the sacred moment of the Karthigai Deepam festival was “stolen” and that Hindus in Tamil Nadu are being denied justice.
Regarding the Thirupparankundram Deepam issue, the Tamil Nadu government deployed heavy police presence even before the court’s verdict, triggering widespread criticism. Although the Madurai Bench of the High Court permitted the lighting of the Deepam twice, the state government allegedly failed to implement the orders, causing discontent among the Hindu community. The issue was raised in Parliament and is currently awaiting a hearing in the Supreme Court.
In his post on X (Twitter), Pawan Kalyan said:
“Among the six abodes of Lord Murugan, Thirupparankundram is the first. Lighting the Karthigai Deepam at the hilltop has always been a traditional Hindu practice. Yet, Hindus are forced to approach the courts even for their basic religious customs — this is painful.”
He added:
“Even after winning the legal battle, if Hindus cannot perform simple rituals, can we truly say justice has been delivered as per the Constitution? The High Court has clearly confirmed the right to light the Deepam on the Deepam pillar — once through a single-judge bench and later again through a two-judge bench.”
Pawan Kalyan questioned whether any other religion would be asked to postpone a sacred event or shift it to another date. He condemned what he described as mockery and interference in Hindu traditions and raised concerns about violation of religious freedom guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution.
He concluded saying:
“If we do not unite now, we will lose our very identity as Hindus. I believe a day will come when Hindus from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Kamakhya to Dwarka will rise against such humiliations in their own homeland.”
