Murthis of 63 Nayanmars (who sang hymns on Lord Siva and attained his feet from different communities) desecrated at Avnashilingeswar temple at Avinashi in Tirupur district of Tamil Nadu on May 22 night when the lock was locked for the day. The incident has shocked the devotees. It was done by a mentally challenged person or a drunken man.
Ever since the Dravidian model Government took over the regime in the State, the attack on temples and demolition by state machinery is on the rise. According to a rough calculation, nearly 250 temples of various ages have been pulled, citing encroachment on Government land or water bodies but leaving the churches and mosques, which were illegal and, despite court directions, left untouched. The Hindu Religious charitable and endowment (HR and CE) is mandated to protect the temples. There is a widespread complaint that HR and CE which controls temples, their revenues, and asset but fails to protect the idols, including rare ones. There have been voices of delinking the temple management from Government control only to be handed over to a board of private trusts.
Sri Karunambikai and Avinasi Lingeswarar Temples are Tamil Nadu’s oldest temples. Avinasi Lingeswarar Temple is the first of the seven Lord Shiva temples in the Kongu region, and it is a historical site where Sundarar sang Pathikam (songs) to bring a child back to life after being swallowed by a crocodile.
When the priest came to open the temple on May 22, he was shocked to see that broken offertory box, and broken idols in a row. He saw the Nayanmar idols at the temple were vandalised, and three copper ‘vels’ (a spear -weapon) was stolen. Deity idols, and doors of the sanctum sanctorum were broken and damaged. He noticed that the temple’s main deity, Lingeswarar’s dress, had been desecrated. Temple priests and devotees, who were shocked to see this reported the incident to the police. Subsequently, the police headed by Avinasi DSP Paulraj rushed to the Avinasi temple and investigated the matter. Hindu Munnani, VHP cadres also thronged the temple on hearing the incident.
During the investigation, police and devotees heard a noise coming from the temple tower. When the police arrived, they discovered a young man in his early thirties trying to hide in the third tower. He was arrested, and based on CCTV footage, it turned out that it was the same person who desecrated the statues. He was identified as Saravanabharathi, 32, of Savakkatupalayam, near Avinasi.
Police sources said Saravanabharathi moved to Savakkatupalayam 10 years ago and worked as a driver before moving on to other jobs at juice shops and textile companies. The police also revealed that the person who desecrated the statues was mentally challenged. It raised several concerns that the police were attempting to downplay the incident, as in previous incidents where important political figures’ statues and temple idols were desecrated, the police labelled the accused as mentally challenged. It is a million-dollar question that how a mentally deranged person should identify and enter only hindu temples carrying heavy tools to the job. Whereas no such incidents happen in mosques or in churches. How do such persons carry out the desecration with full devotion single-handedly during odd hours?
Only after Hindu outfits made protest, police arrested him in the Avinashi desecration incident. Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai slammed the MK Stalin-led DMK Government and demanded appropriate action against the accused. Annamalai said, “After DMK came to power, temples were attacked, and people’s beliefs were hurt. But none of the real culprits seem to be arrested. The attempt to dilute the crime by claiming that those arrested are mentally ill seems to continue. If the safety of the temples cannot be ensured, then what is the purpose of the Hindu religious endowment department and the minister?”
He said “I urge the Tamil Nadu Police to immediately arrest the real culprits and take appropriate action. People’s patience has a limit. I want to inform you that the DMK Government will be responsible for the consequences if temples continue to be attacked like this.”.
In January this year, former union minister and Sriperumbudhur DMK MP TR Baalu proudly claimed, “I’ve razed down a 100-year-old temple, this very same TR Baalu. In my constituency, a Saraswati temple, Lakshmi temple, and what is the other God’s name? Saraswati, Lakshmi and… ah, Parvathi temple! I demolished these three temples that were present in the GST Road.”
These are only a few on the list of examples of how the Dravidian stock followers show their Hindu hatred and their gods.
Suanda Roy, in a tweet, said, “Anti-Hindu elements vandalised & damaged 63 idols at the ancient Avinashi Lingeshwar temple in Tiruppur, TN last night. This was a well-planned conspiracy by Hindu haters who could not tolerate the unprecedented rush of devotees for the Rath Mahotsav in the last few days. I hope @tnpoliceoffl will take strict action against the culprits.
Another user tweeted, “Unbelievably shocking! If it was Church or Mosque, it was an international headline, and probably riots on the street. I don’t expect anything from TN Police, extremely biased, anti-Hindu state.”
His tweet response represents the fears that exist among the Hindu masses of Tamil Nadu. And the fears are not baseless.
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