Deepam Row: BJP MP Anurag Thakur Slams TN Govt as 'Anti-Sanatan', 50 Ex-Judges Back Justice Swaminathan

2 days ago

In a heated Parliament session, BJP MP Anurag Thakur termed Tamil Nadu a 'symbol of anti-Sanatan Dharma' over the Thiruparankundram Deepam controversy. Thakur alleged that despite Madras High Court orders, police blocked devotees from lighting the Karthigai Deepam and resorted to a lathi-charge. The dispute has escalated with the INDIA bloc moving an impeachment motion against Justice GR Swaminathan, a move condemned by 50 former judges as a 'weaponization' of the constitutional process. The programme also features a ground report on the standoff.

Transcript

00:00And Tamil Nadu's Deepam flashpoint has now exploded into a full-blown national storm.

00:06A hunger strike has been called for tomorrow by devotees days after dramatic scenes

00:10where pilgrims were not allowed to light the Deepam by the police in Madurai

00:15in spite of the Madrasaicot's nod.

00:17This even has BJP sharpens its attack.

00:20Now inside parliament, the BJP tore into the DMK.

00:24Anurag Thakur accused the government of the state into a symbol

00:27of anti-Sanathan, alleging that DMK leaders have repeatedly targeted Sanathan traditions.

00:35The criticism didn't stop there.

00:37Thakur questioned why devotees were blocked by cops in spite of a clear court directive

00:41called it a breach in contempt of the court's order.

00:44This comes days after Home Minister Amit Shah alleged that the impeachment motion

00:48against Justice JR Swaminathan was nothing more than an attempt

00:52to appease a vote bank by the opposition.

00:55His strongest intervention came from outside politics.

00:58Over 50 former judges and senior jurists issued a letter backing Justice Swaminathan

01:04calling the impeachment move a weaponization of a constitutional process

01:08and an attempt to browbeat judges who don't align politically.

01:12Where one state in India has become a symbol of anti-Sanathan dharma.

01:22Their ministers are making statements.

01:25Their ministers are making statements against Sanathan dharma.

01:29They objected when the Prime Minister was doing his duty for the Ram temple.

01:37At that time, the temple doors were shut.

01:41People were forced to approach the court to reach the temple.

01:45Even now, sir, the Madurai bench of Madurai's high court came down strongly

01:53on the Tamil Nadu government, accusing officials of deliberately ignoring its order

01:59on lighting the Gartnigai Deepam lamp at the Madurai's Thiruparan Kundaram temple.

02:06Sir, there are laktis for the devotees.

02:10Hindus are lakti chayas.

02:13Despite the court order, they are not allowed.

02:16Despite the court order, they are not allowed to light the lamp, sir.

02:20Sir, my issue is, if there is a stalling sarkar,

02:25their court came down heavily, the stalling sarkar.

02:30Sir, I would like to put it on record why the police is acting in this manner.

02:36I have given an opportunity to your party member also.

02:40Sir, the senior Swaminathan did not run forward.

02:43You can't stop.

02:44He said the state has shown willful disobedience of the order

02:48and contempt has been committed, sir.

02:51Sir, the order has been breached, sir.

02:55Sir, the order has been breached.

02:56The contempt has been committed.

02:58Sir, the issue is, sir, the issue is today.

03:03Anagar is getting in more details on that story,

03:05joining us live at this point in time.

03:07This is the BJP, in fact, using this as an ammunition to go after the DMK.

03:12At the end of the day, they were, in fact, keen on impeaching

03:15or rather moving the impeachment motion against the judge,

03:18which has been widely criticized.

03:20And why then do this?

03:22Anagar, not just political leaders,

03:24but also jurists have come out and said that this isn't done, isn't it?

03:28Well, that's right.

03:29In fact, an impeachment motion has been moved against Justice J.R. Swaminathan

03:34by the members of the India bloc.

03:36In fact, today, there is a hearing that's underway at the Madurai bench

03:39of the Madras High Court,

03:41where the Tamil Nadu government has questioned

03:43if indeed the Deepatun, that is the stone pillar,

03:46is really a stone lamp pillar.

03:49The DMK has questioned, that is the Tamil Nadu government has questioned,

03:52if there are enough supporting documents to really believe

03:55that this particular pillar, referred to as a Deepatun,

03:58was traditionally a point where lamp used to be lit

04:02on the occasion of Kartikei Deepam.

04:04Because for the last 100 years, that is at least until the year 1920,

04:08lamp has been lit at the Ucchi Pillayar temple,

04:11that is the Gandhapati temple, which is at a lower point.

04:14And this tradition has been followed for the last 100 years.

04:17So why now is there a demand?

04:20Why now is there an ask for a change in location to light the lamp?

04:24And that too, so close to the Dargah,

04:26is what the Tamil Nadu government is asking.

04:28And also demanding for a proof to prove really

04:32if this particular pillar, the Deepatun,

04:34used to be a customary practice by the Hindu devotees to light a lamp.

04:39And if so, are there any supporting documents to prove that?

04:42That's what the Tamil Nadu government has put forth

04:44in front of the Madras High Court.

04:46In fact, the hearing is correctly underway as we report.

04:50Once the order comes out at the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court,

04:53we'll really get to know the stance of the division bench

04:56of the Madras High Court.

04:58All right, I'm going to leave it at that for the moment.

05:00Anagar getting us up to speed with those details

05:02as far as that controversy now brewing inside Parliament

05:05here over the Deepam and the order from the judge

05:08in the Madurai High Court.

Deepam Row: BJP MP Anurag Thakur Slams TN Govt as 'Anti-Sanatan', 50 Ex-Judges Back Justice Swaminathan

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