The Tamil Nadu government plans to appeal to the Supreme Court against a Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) decision allowing the lighting of a lamp at the ‘deepa thoon’ on Thirupparankundram hill. State Minister Raghupathi criticized the ruling, stating that introducing a new practice through a judicial order is fundamentally incorrect. The Minister emphasized that there is no historical evidence to support the tradition of lighting a lamp at the hill’s lamp pillar.
The Madurai Bench’s decision, which restricted public access to the lamp pillar while allowing specific individuals to light the lamp, was deemed contradictory and legally unsustainable by Raghupathi. He highlighted that the district administration had warned against permitting lamp lighting due to potential law and order concerns. The Minister stressed the importance of respecting Tamil culture and traditions, expressing concerns that the court’s decision could disrupt cultural continuity.
Raghupathi clarified that the government’s appeal is not an attack on the judiciary but a response to what it perceives as an illegal order lacking factual support. He underscored the need for evidence to justify introducing new practices through court orders. The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to challenging orders that it deems unlawful through constitutional means.
The controversy surrounding Thirupparankundram, a site of significant religious and historical importance, has been a subject of ongoing legal and social disputes. The State government is preparing to challenge the Madurai Bench’s ruling in the Supreme Court, seeking a suspension of the order.
