A Hindu group had called for a protest against animal sacrifices atop the Thiruparankundram hill where the two places of worship exist side by side
Syed Ali Mujtaba
CHENNAI – Tension mounted at Thiruparankundram, a hillock close to the Madurai city of Tamil Nadu, where a Sikandar Badushah Dargah and a temple of Subramaniya Swamy (Muragan i.e. Shiva temple) exist side by side.
Authorities have imposed Section 144 in Madurai town including Thiruparankundram hilltop after a protest call given by Hindu Munnani, a right-wing, organisation over alleged animal sacrifice at the Dargah triggered communal tension.
Tensions escalated after the local police reportedly denied some devotees from carrying out animal sacrifices at ‘Dargah’ leading to a strong protest by the Muslim shrine keepers against this customary practice happening since time immemorial.
The Tamil Nadu police issued orders barring the Muslim community members from transporting livestock for sacrifice at the shrine. But they were allowed to transport meat to consume and pray at the hilltop.
Attempts by Indian Union Muslim League MP, Nawaz Kani, failed to convince the authorities.
Talking to media personnel, the MP from Ramanathapuram said that the shrine is 400 years old where devotees take goats and chicken atop the hill and sacrifice them in the name of the Sufi saint after their wishes are fulfilled. They cook the food and consume it within the premises of the shrine and this practice is centuries old.
“Now there is a ban on taking the livestock to the dargah but devotees can take raw meat there. It is unprecedented, and legal options need to be explored to restore the status quo.
Amid objections by the Muslim groups, the Hindu Munnani had called for a protest against the animal sacrifices atop the hill. The Hindu outfit moved the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court seeking permission for the protest “to attract the attention of the government to protect the hillock from encroachment”.
While permitting the Hindu Munnani to conduct a “peaceful protest” the court observed that ‘the right to freedom of speech and expression should always be subject to public order and peace and other restrictions imposed by the Constitution, and allowed the Hindu group to peacefully protest in Palanganatham junction in Madurai (not at the Thiruparankundram hilltop).
However, a handful of members of the Hindu group were able to breach the security cordon and protest in the temple premises. They were rounded off by the police, media reports said.
A Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) leader and legislator, MH Jawahirullah, said the dargah and the temple have co-existed for centuries and outstanding issues have been settled in the courts several times. There are several judgments to maintain the status quo. “These fissures are not tenable in a court of law and the ban will be lifted soon,” he added.
Smelling communal politics in the row, Jawahirullah said since elections are around the corner in the state, the Hindu Mannani wants to polarise the society. Still, such attempts to divide the society won’t succeed. They will be exposed in the coming election, the MLA from Papanasam said.
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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com
