Latest news with #Muruganconference
Hindustan Times
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
TVK declares Vijay as CM candidate for 2026 polls
Actor-politician Vijay on Friday announced himself as Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam's (TVK) chief ministerial candidate for the 2026 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. He also shut down any prospect of an alliance with either the AIADMK or the BJP. Mamallapuram: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay after TVK's second anniversary celebration function, in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 (PTI) Speaking at the party's executive council meeting, Vijay said, 'Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam will never enter into an alliance for selfish political gains.' 'There is no direct alliance or a hidden understanding with either the DMK or the BJP. If there is any alliance in the future, it will be one led by TVK. That combination will oppose both the DMK and BJP,' he added. 'The BJP divides people based on religion and encourages division among people for political gains,' Vijay said, adding,'Such dangerous strategies might work elsewhere but not in Tamil Nadu.' Referencing the recent controversy over video clips allegedly criticising stalwarts of the Dravidian movement being played at the Murugan conference, organised by the Hindu Munnani and backed by the BJP, on June 22, he added that any party that insulted leaders such as E V Ramasamy (Periyar) and DMK founder C N Annadurai could never win in the state. As stated at the meeting, TVK will hold a state conference in August, following which Vijay will go on a state-wide tour from September until December. Vijay also sought the ruling state government to look for a site alternative to Parandur to establish Chennai's second airport. 'We are not against development or the building of airports. We are only opposed to the location chosen by the state government for the airport,' he said. Vijay criticised chief minister M K Stalin for not visiting the people at Parandur and said, 'they are also our people… If you don't go and meet the people of Parandur, then I am willing to bring them to meet you at the Secretariat.' Among several resolutions passed at the meeting, one called upon the Centre to retrieve Katchatheevu islet from Sri Lanka, while another flayed the Union government for attempting to 'cover up' the findings at the contested archaeological site Keeladi, that established the existence of an urban civilisation in the Tamil heartland over 2,000 years ago. Another resolution passed at the meeting strongly criticized the Election Commission of India's (ECI) electoral revision process, stating,'Electoral revision in poll-bound states is an effort to reduce the votes of minorities and this should be stopped. ECI has decided to conduct intensive electoral revision in assembly election-bound states and it is highly suspicious that BJP is trying to reduce the minority voters and to increase their voters which is against democracy.' Another resolution condemned the Centre over the 'treatment' of farmers during their protest in New Delhi. It also urged the state government to give up the proposal to establish the SIPCOT industrial expansion project at Melma. Reacting to Vijay's speech, BJP state president Nainar Nagendran said that everyone should unite to defeat the DMK. 'Whether other parties want to join us or not to defeat the DMK is their decision,' Nagendran said. 'Every party should think about who loses and gains through such alliances,' he added. Lok Sabha MP from Thoothukudi and senior DMK leader K Kanimozhi also responded to the speech, saying, 'Congratulations to TVK for contesting independently. They're no challenge for the DMK.' At the time of going to print, no members of the AIADMK issued any response tp Vijay's comments.
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Thiruparankundram hill: Madras HC delivers split verdict on animal sacrifice
The Madurai bench of the Madras high court delivered a split verdict on a batch of pleas filed involving the Thiruparankundram Hill which was in the spotlight during the Murugan conference after right wing groups took offence to meat eating on the hilltop which has both a Murugan temple and a dargah. Madurai: People attend the Murugan Conference, in Madurai, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (PTI) The different pleas sought renaming the Thiruparankundram hill as Sikander hill, renaming the Samanar (Jain) hill, permitting animal sacrifice, and construction work. The bench comprising justices J Nisha Banu and S Srimathy were in agreement that the hill cannot be renamed and a clutch of other issues but they differed on animal sacrifice. Justice Banu permitted animal sacrifices saying it is a religious practice of both Hindu and Muslim communities while justice Srimathy banned it saying that there is no proof of this being an ancient religious practice. 'Article 25 of the Constitution of India confers the right to freedom of religion which includes 'practice'… in the absence of any law prohibiting animal sacrifice, which is a part of religious practice, there cannot be any order by this court restraining such activity,' justice Banu said in the verdict delivered on June 24. 'Moreover, the Dargah is located on the southern side peak of the Thirupparankundram Hill, while the Subramaniya Swamy Temple and Kasi Viswanathar Temple are situated at different locations. Thus, no religious practices of one community impinge upon the sacred spaces of another,' justice Banu said. 'Given that ritual animal sacrifices are traditionally performed in multiple Hindu temples across the Madurai region, a blanket prohibition would amount to discriminatory enforcement. Animal Sacrifice, being an established religious practice, is observed not only in the Dargah but also in several hindu Temples across the country, and therefore the same cannot be selectively banned,' she said. However, justice Srimathy said that there was no evidence to prove that the practice of animal sacrifice was established for a long time. 'Interestingly it is seen that there is no meat stall in Sannadhi Street, around 300 meters from the temple there is no meat stall, there is no broiler chicken stall for more than 300 meters,' justice Srimathy said. 'In fact most of the marriage halls in Tiruparankundram do not allow non vegetarian cooking at all. All these facts state how the devotees protect the holiness of the Tiruparankundram Hill and the Subramaniya Swamy Temple,' she said. 'The Tirupanrankundram Hill shall not be called either as Sikkandar Malai or as Samanar Kundru,' the bench of the two justices said in the order. 'The Dargah is directed to approach the Civil Court to establish their practice of animal sacrifice as well as prayer during Ramzan, Bakr-eid and other Muslim festivals prevailing prior to the order in 1920,' the verdict said. The bench directed the state to permit the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to survey the hill and demarcate the protected monuments, dargah and the temple and submit a report to the court within a year. The 107-page verdict was reserved on April 30 and delivered on June 24 and the matter has been referred to the chief justice of the Madras HC for a tie breaker verdict.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Guv bats for permanent setup of 6 Murugan abodes together
Madurai: Lord Murugan represents the essence of Tamil culture, Bharat, and Bhartiya identity, Governor R N Ravi said on Saturday after visiting the venue of the Murugan devotees conference (Muruga Bakthargal Manadu) in Madurai, a day ahead of the main event organised by Hindu Munnani. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The governor arrived around 11am after a yoga day event and offered prayers at the prototypes of the six abodes (Arupadai Veedu) of Lord Murugan, recreated for the conference. "Murugan is our supreme lord who reflects the culture of . He is not just our god, but also our identity. As the son of Lord Shiva, whom we revere as the god of completeness and divinity across India, Murugan embodies Tamil values and culture," he told reporters after the visit. The governor praised the organisers, particularly Hindu Munnani, for assembling replicas of all six sacred abodes, traditionally spread across Tamil Nadu, at a single venue. "I have visited each of the Arupadai Veedu individually, but seeing them all together in one place is a divine experience. This is a long-held dream come true for many, and such a concept should be considered for a permanent setup in the future," he added. Earlier in the day, Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) president G K Vasan said after visiting the site that the devotees' conference will trigger a positive change in Tamil Nadu and 'pave the way for good people to serve society.' Later in the evening, BJP state president Nainar Nagenthiran and Maharashtra governor C P Radhakrishnan visited the Arupadai Veedu exhibit and offered prayers. In Coimbatore, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami extended his wishes. "In a democracy, everyone has the right to worship the deity of their choice. Based on that, an organisation is conducting the Murugan conference in a grand manner. I extend my best wishes for the conference," he told reporters. TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai said BJP cannot deceive the people through Murugan conference, asserting that Tamils are conscious of the true intentions of the party that pursues 'anti-democratic electoral practices, language and economic policies. '
