Chennai, June 29 : BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai on Thursday slammed the DMK government over its interference in the affairs of the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple.
Annamalai said that the DMK government was trying to take over the temple by hook or by crook, and that this was a clear violation of the Supreme Court order. He pointed out that the Supreme Court had ruled in 2014 that the temple would be managed by the priests and not the state government.
“The DMK government is trying to circumvent the Supreme Court order by interfering in the temple’s administration,” Annamalai said. He also accused the DMK government of trying to silence the priests who have been critical of the government’s actions.
“The DMK government is trying to intimidate the priests by booking them under false charges,” Annamalai said. He called on the DMK government to respect the Supreme Court order and to stop interfering in the affairs of the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple.
The Chidambaram Nataraja Temple is one of the most important Hindu temples in India. It is located in the town of Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. The temple is dedicated to Lord Nataraja, the Hindu god of dance.
The temple has been embroiled in controversy in recent years. In 2021, the DMK government ordered an audit of the temple’s jewels. The priests opposed the audit, and they were subsequently booked under false charges. The controversy has led to a standoff between the priests and the DMK government.
The issue is likely to continue to be a source of tension in Tamil Nadu in the coming months.
