Chennai, 19 December (H.S.) : BJP leader K Annamalai has expressed profound grief and anger over the tragic death of a devotee who set himself on fire during the Karthigai Deepam dispute in Madurai.

In a strongly worded statement released on Friday, Annamalai held the DMK government and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department directly responsible for the tragedy. He alleged that the state administration's stubborn refusal to implement the Madras High Court's order regarding the lighting of the sacred lamp atop Thiruparankundram hill led to this extreme step by an aggrieved devotee.

According to authorities within the BJP, the state government has been systematically acting against Hindu traditions to satisfy its political agenda. Annamalai pointed out that despite the judiciary granting permission for the ritual, the government chose to block the path of devotees with heavy police deployment and legal hurdles.

He stated that the blood of the deceased devotee is on the hands of the ruling party, which he accused of prioritizing minority appeasement over the religious rights of the majority. He noted that such a tragic end to a peaceful protest is a dark day for the spiritual fabric of Tamil Nadu.

The BJP leader further demanded an immediate and transparent inquiry into the administrative failures that provoked the incident. He criticized the DMK for its alleged high handedness and called for the resignation of the officials involved in the decision making process. Authorities emphasized that the party will not remain silent while traditions are being suppressed and devotees are being pushed to despair.

Annamalai concluded his statement by urging the people to recognize the anti spiritual stance of the current regime and reaffirmed his commitment to protecting the cultural heritage of the state at any cost.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary