LED screens for Ayodhya event removed from TN temple: Minister
LED screens installed at Kamakshi Amman Temple in Tamil Nadu for live streaming the Ram Mandir "Pran Pratishtha" ceremony in Ayodhya were taken down on Monday, reports said. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman—who had planned to watch the event from the temple—said that the "Hindu-hating Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party is misusing Tamil Nadu Police." She had previously accused the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government of denying permission to install the screens.
Why does this story matter?
Tamil Nadu is governed by the MK Stalin-led DMK, which has made it clear that it does not agree with the building of a temple after "demolishing a mosque." Amid accusations of a "ban" on live streaming of the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony, the DMK has blamed the BJP for attempting to divert attention from its youth conference in Salem. The Pran Pratistha ceremony took place at Ayodhya's Ram Mandir on Monday afternoon.
BJP attacks Stalin government
Secretary of the Tamil Nadu unit of BJP, SG Surya posted on X on Monday saying that the state police had reached the temple in Kanchipuram district and were removing the LED screens. "What a joke this is CM MK Stalin?" he added. The state government has denied the reports. Meanwhile, Sitharaman said in an X post: "Can any citizen be denied watching PM (Modi) event? (The) DMK is showing its personal hate for (the) Prime Minister..."
'Anti-Hindu DMK': Sitharaman
Sitharaman criticized the Tamil Nadu government, accusing it of banning the live streaming of the "Pran Pratishtha" ceremony on January 22. She called the DMK government's actions "anti-Hindu" and stated that special pujas or free food in Ram's name were not permitted in HR&CE-managed temples in the state. "TN government has banned watching the live telecast of Ayodhya Ram Mandir programmes of 22 Jan... Strongly condemn this anti-Hindu, hateful action," she said in a post.
SC issues notice to Tamil Nadu govt on plea
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court against the Tamil Nadu government's supposed order to ban the live telecast of Lord Ram's "Pran Prathishta" at Ayodhya in temples across the state. Following this, the top court issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu government and others against the state's oral order. However, Tamil Nadu govt informed the apex court that no restrictions or ban were imposed on the live telecast and performance of poojas.
