Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin today told BJP members to not try to gain political mileage using Ayodhya Mandapam issue. He said this in the State Assembly while responding to a calling attention motion moved by BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan.
Stalin claimed that the decision to take over Ayodhya Mandapam was taken after continuous complaints of mismanagement. According to the government, Ayodhya Mandapam is a public temple as there is a collection of offerings from the public through hundial.
‘Petrol and diesel prices are still on the rise. We are urging the Centre to bring it down. We went to Delhi to seek funds that are supposed to be released to the state. Please support us in getting those funds. Work for what makes our state strong. If you try to play politics just to make your party stronger, it will not happen,’ the CM said.
If the BJP tried to unnecessarily ‘thrust politics’ on the matter, which is before a court, it would never succeed, the CM asserted after Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P K Sekar Babu spoke on the matter.
Tension prevailed and at least 60 people were detained by the police for preventing Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department officials from taking over control of Ayodhya Mandapam at West Mambalam on Monday.
Despite strong protests, the department, armed with a Madras High Court order, took over the mandapam.
According to BJP councillor Uma Anandan, who was part of the protests, the move was illegal. She said the department had no business in taking over the Sri Ram Samaj-run Ayodhya Mandapam, which was not a temple.
An office-bearer of Sri Ram Samaj that manages the Mandapam, told News Today
: ‘The court direction is a shocker to us.’
On why they are opposing the taking over of the Mandapam by the HR&CE, he said, ‘the department can only take over temples built under Agama rules. Ayodhya Mandapam is neither a temple nor was constructed as per Agama rules. It is just a bhajana hall well maintained by the Samaj.’
The Mandapam was constructed in 1954. Periodic discourses on Vedas and Upanishads as well as several cultural meet-outs are organised throughout the year. In the month of MarchâApril of every year, programmes in connection to Sri Rama Navami are very special at Ayodhya Mandapam.