Murugan conference row: DMK calls it Sanghi event, BJP defends it as devotion

India Today

5 hours ago

A political controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu ahead of the Murugan Devotees Conference scheduled for June 22, with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) dismissing the event as a politically motivated gathering, and the BJP defending it as a celebration of devotion.Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking at a party meeting in Madurai on Sunday, called on devotees to attend the conference in large numbers to display unity. He criticised the DMK for allegedly undermining religious sentiments, linking it to the recent controversy over Thiruparankundram Hill, one of the six sacred abodes (Padai Veedu) of the deity Murugan. advertisement'Our Madurai has ancient history which goes back 3000 years. I have come here. DMK has dared to call Thiruparankundram Hill associated with God Murugan as Sikandar Hill. For years devotees of God Murugan have prayed here. I urge the people of Tamil Nadu to attend the Murugan Devotees Conference in large numbers and show them the devotees' strength,' Shah said.
The controversy surrounding the Thiruparankundram Hill initially erupted when police barred members of the Muslim community from transporting goats and hens to the Sikandar Badusha Dargah, located atop the hill on January 22. The police stated that while prayers were permitted, animal sacrifices were not allowed. The hill also houses the revered Murugan Temple, situated close to the Dargah, adding a layer of religious sensitivity to the issue.DMK Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments PK Sekar Babu dismissed the conference as a political event. 'This is a pure Sanghi and political conference. We conducted the conference where devotees of God Murugan from 27 countries participated. We did not plan to bring a crowd, seek money, arrange 2000 buses but even then 7 to 8 lakh people attended. But they planned this conference with intention to use it to divide people in the name of religion,' he said.advertisementResponding to Sekar Babu's comments, senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan accused the DMK of fearing the BJP's religious outreach. 'People like Sekar Babu are seeing our devotion-filled Murugan Conference with fear. Be it a political conference or religious conference, our only intention is to do good for the people and make devotion prosper. Why did you conduct Murugan Conference when you do not believe in him? This is only creating doubts in people's minds,' she said.DMK MP A Raja also criticised the BJP's plans, alleging that the conference was being organised for political reasons. 'They are doing Murugan Manadu (conference) on June 22 purely for political gains and to create differences between Hindus and Muslims. They want to turn Hindus against Muslims and Christians. This conference is not to unite Hindus or for Lord Murugan. The people of Madurai will reject this. Amit Shah tried creating differences between communities in Tamil Nadu. The people of Tamil Nadu will never accept these kind of statements,' he said.
IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu