Chennai, 4 December (H.S.) : Tamil Nadu BJP president and Madurai MP Nainar Nagendran, along with senior BJP leader H Raja and several Hindutva activists, was arrested by Madurai police on Wednesday evening while attempting to light the traditional Maha Deepam oil lamp atop Thirupparankundram hill during the Karthigai Deepam festival.

The arrests took place hours after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court permitted the lighting of the lamp at the ancient stone pillar (Deepathoon) on the hilltop, overturning restrictions imposed by the HR&CE department. The court had directed the police to provide protection to the petitioners for performing the ritual.

Police stopped the BJP leaders and activists near the hilltop, citing Section 144 prohibitory orders and stating that the state government was in the process of filing an appeal against the High Court’s directive. After a brief standoff, Nainar Nagendran, H Raja, petitioner Rama Ravikumar (Hindu Makkal Katchi), and around 20 others were taken into preventive custody and shifted to a marriage hall near the temple.

A senior police officer told reporters, “They were informed clearly that permission cannot be granted until the government’s appeal is filed. They will be released once the situation normalises.”

Earlier in the day, the same Bench of Justice G R Swaminathan pulled up the state government for “wilful disobedience” of its December 1 order and issued contempt notices to officials. The court questioned why the ritual was not allowed despite its explicit direction and why the appeal was being filed only at the eleventh hour.

The BJP termed the arrests “undemocratic” and accused the DMK government of minority appeasement. In a video message before the arrest, Nainar Nagendran said, “Lighting a lamp is a harmless Tamil tradition. The DMK is deliberately creating communal tension for vote-bank politics because they fear defeat.”

The dispute centres on the hilltop site, which houses the Sikandar Badusha Dargah and has remained out of bounds for the traditional hilltop Deepam lighting since the British era. Hindu organisations have long demanded revival of the practice, citing references in ancient Tamil literature and a 1923 Privy Council ruling that recognised Hindu rights over unoccupied portions of the hill.

Former Governor and BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan condemned the police action, calling it an “attack on Hindu festivals and traditions.”

Meanwhile, CPM Madurai MP Su Venkatesan supported the government’s stand, alleging that “certain Sangh Parivar groups are trying to convert the festival of lights into a riot of hatred.”

As of Thursday morning, all detained leaders, including Nainar Nagendran and H Raja, have been released, police sources confirmed.

The state government is expected to move the Supreme Court against the High Court order.

The Karthigai Deepam festival concluded peacefully across Tamil Nadu with millions of homes and temples lit with oil lamps on Wednesday night.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary