The Tamil Nadu BJP has accused state ministers S Ramesh and Aadhav Arjuna of violating temple rules by allegedly facilitating the entry of a Muslim aide wearing a skull cap into the Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai.
The incident reportedly took place on Saturday, October 17, and has sparked a political controversy after a video showing a devotee questioning the entry circulated on social media.
The BJP alleged that the incident violated a Madras High Court order issued in January 2024, which restricts non-Hindus from proceeding beyond the temple’s flagmast unless they submit an undertaking affirming their faith in the deity and agreeing to follow Hindu customs.
The party also claimed that the aide’s entry violated the temple’s dress code and religious traditions.
BJP Demands Public Apology
Tamil Nadu BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy described the alleged incident as a “clear violation” of the court’s directions and accused the ministers of disregarding the rules governing Hindu places of worship.
“Temples under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department are places of Hindu worship, not venues for political or official disregard of agama rules, court directions, and devotee sentiments,” Thirupathy said in a post on X.
He further alleged that the intervention of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister to address objections raised by devotees showed an unwillingness to enforce the rules governing temples.
Thirupathy demanded that both ministers issue a public apology and ensure compliance with the High Court’s directions at temples administered by the HR&CE department.
“Such conduct undermines the legal and traditional framework protecting Hindu temples and sets a dangerous precedent,” he said, according to news agency PTI.
He added that the sanctity of places of worship must be respected and called for measures to prevent similar incidents.
Video of Temple Visit Circulates Online
A video of the incident has circulated widely on social media. In the clip, a devotee can be heard questioning the HR&CE Minister about the grounds for allowing a man wearing a skull cap to enter the historic temple premises.
The BJP has used the incident to raise concerns about the enforcement of temple rules and the implementation of the High Court’s directions.
The allegations against the ministers have not, in the material cited, been independently established. The party has called for an apology and stricter enforcement of the rules at temples managed by the state’s HR&CE department.
