BJP's Annamalai slams CM Stalin over ‘encroaching upon people’s rights' to visit temples

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai slammed chief minister MK Stalin on the issue of the rights of the Hindus to visit temples. He stated the party doesn’t have an issue with the Chief Minister’s wife paying a visit to the temple, requesting not to encroach upon the rights of the hindus to enter the temples in the state. Notably, MK Stalin’s wife Durga Stalin visited a temple recently, to which the Chief Minister responding to the volunteers stated, ‘DMK is against Aryan domination and not spirituality.’    

Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai said, "We have no problem with the CM's wife going to the temple and worshipping God. It is her right. She can worship. But we have a problem with DMK which is denying the same opportunity to other Hindus. When Stalinji's wife goes to a temple, the minister welcomes her and takes her inside...So our question is that other Hindus should also be allowed to practice their faith in Tamil Nadu."

‘Stalin govt interfering with people’s rights to enter temples’: Annamalai

He added the government is interfering in people’s rights to worship in the temples, saying “You're not letting them enter the temples, you're restricting them. You are taking the temple land. You are interfering in the daily process, the six ritual pooja that Tamil Nadu temple has to do, you have stopped it in many places.”

Annamalai also attacked the HR&CE department in Tamil Nadu, stating “You are putting your hand in temple’s hundi and you are illegally allowing Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE) to perform the role which it is not supposed to do. That the CM should accept.”

Stalin strikes back

Responding to his wife Durga Stalin’s recent visit to the temple, MK Stalin addressing party workers said, “She has been visiting all the temples. I did not stop her because it was her personal wish. We are against Aryan domination and not spirituality.

The dialogue written by former CM M Karunanidhi in the movie ‘Parasakthi’ is the answer to them (the BJP): We don’t say no to temples, but we say temples should not become shelters for the wicked,” he added.

Charging that the BJP has been spreading misinformation about temple destruction Stalin said, “People of Tamil Nadu are rationalists who can distinguish between politics and religion. The BJP spreads rumours about destroying temples. But the fact is that the DMK government has performed consecration for more than 1,000 temples and retrieved temple assets worth more than Rs 5,000 crores.  Let us take the facts to the entire country through social media.”