Chennai: About a week after electricity minister C T R Nirmalkumar visited the Thiruparankundram temple and offered worship as officers kept it open beyond the usual hours, the Madras High Court has sought a report from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department on whether there was any violation of rules during the minister’s visit.
When a writ petition, filed by Vishwa Hindu Parishad functionary P Chockalingam, for abolition of paid VIP darshan culture at temples under the control of the HR&CE department came up for hearing on Thursday, Justice G R Swaminathan asked the department officials about what happened during the minister’s visit to the Subramaniyaswamy temple. Since the HR&CE officials did not have a response, the judge sought a report from the department secretary on the minister’s visit and posted the hearing for next week.
It may be noted that a controversy arose when the newly elected MLA from Tiruparankundram and electricity minister C T R Nirmalkumar visited the temple on May 17. Devotees claimed that the temple was kept open beyond 1 pm, in violation of agama rules, to enable the minister’s darshan of the main deity.
Later on Thursday, Minister Nirmal Kumar clarified that there was no violation as more than 100 devotees were still waiting for darshan when he exited the temple. “After it became an issue on social media, I checked with the officers concerned again and I was told that devotees who gathered for darshan would be allowed inside the temple till 2 pm,” Nirmalkumar said. He added that he belonged to the temple town and he need not violate any rule to have a darshan at the temple as he can visit anytime.
