Amid a slugfest between the ruling DMK and BJP over reports that the Tamil Nadu government had banned live telecast of the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, Chief Minister MK Stalin said senior leaders of the saffron party were acting like “WhatsApp university” and spreading rumours. In a statement, Stalin said rumours were being spread by the BJP to divert attention from the DMK youth wing conference. The BJP has alleged that the DMK government was restricting special poojas, annadanams and live screenings of the Ram Mandir inauguration in Ayodhya. “Top netas of BJP are acting like WhatsApp University, spreading rumours. The rumours are a bid to divert attention from the second DMK Youth Wing Conference,” Stalin said in the statement.
The DMK supremo also said the Supreme Court, which heard a plea related to the matter, had warned against the spreading of rumours. On Monday, the Supreme Court directed the Tamil Nadu government not to reject requests for telecasts of the consecration ceremony of the Lord Ram idol in Ayodhya. The Tamil Nadu government, however, said there were no such restrictions and no ban on live telecast or performance of pujas and the plea was “politically motivated”.