PM Modi takes a bold swipe at temple controversies in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, promising action on Sabarimala gold theft and raising the Karthigai Deepam row.
PM Modi's southward poll push focuses on temple rows
Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday addressed rallies in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, focusing on temple-related controversies to criticize ruling parties. In Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, Modi raised the Karthigai Deepam row, accusing the DMK of indulging in “vote bank politics.”
He claimed that while BJP leaders stood for devotees’ rights, the DMK “left no stone unturned” to gain political advantage. Modi also labeled the DMK as ‘CMC’- Corruption, Mafia, and Crime accusing the party of breaking public trust despite winning a full majority twice.
‘Culprits will be jailed’: PM Modi makes big Sabarimala promise in Kerala amid gold theft row
“People are now calling the DMK government the ‘CMC government’. The people of Tamil Nadu have made up their minds to uproot both the DMK and this CMC,” he said, asserting that a BJP-NDA “double-engine” government is poised to come to power.
In Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, Modi addressed the Sabarimala gold theft controversy. He promised that if the BJP comes to power in the state elections, the theft will be fully investigated and the culprits jailed.
“The LDF government has left no stone unturned in damaging the traditions of the Sabarimala Temple. Reports of gold being stolen from right next to Lord Ayyappa have emerged. I want to make one thing clear: a BJP government will ensure a thorough investigation, and culprits will face jail,” he said. During his visit, Modi also launched developmental projects and flagged off new train services.
The Kerala controversy revolves around the alleged misappropriation of gold from the sanctum’s door frames and dwarapalaka (guardian idol) plates, which is being probed by a special investigation team under the state high court’s direction.
The Tamil Nadu row concerns the Karthigai Deepam festival atop Thirupparankundram hill, home to the Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Kasi Viswanathar Temple, and Sikkander Badusha Dargah. A petition allowed devotees to light the sacred lamp at the hilltop, conflicting with the long-standing ritual at the nearby Deepa Mandapam.
Hindu organizations have protested in the past, and the BJP has called Thirupparankundram the “Ayodhya of the South.” The Subramaniya Swamy Temple claims ownership of most of the hill under a 1920 court ruling, while the dargah retains rights over its mosque and related structures.
