BJP leader H Raja insisted that the Karthigai Deepam must be lit at the Thiruparankundram hilltop by December 12, accusing the DMK government of anti-Hindu bias for obstructing the ritual despite Madras High Court orders.Speaking to reporters after attending a wedding in Erode district, Raja highlighted Justice GR Swaminathan’s site visit and ruling affirming the tradition at Lord Muruga’s temple site near Sikandar Badushah Dargah. He questioned how authorities could block lighting on temple-owned land, vowing it as a key 2026 election issue to oust DMK.
Raja cited personal harassment, claiming DSP Selvaraj filed a case against him for traffic violations en route from Sivaganga to Madurai. He slammed DMK’s law and order record—6,700 murders in 55 months—and predicted AIADMK-BJP alliance success under Edappadi Palaniswami.
The controversy escalated after the High Court quashed state orders on December 1-4, permitting the Deepathoon ritual while Tamil Nadu appealed to Supreme Court citing communal harmony risks. BJP positions it as DMK vote-bank politics, with devotees defying restrictions amid tight security.