CHENNAI: Two temples in Tamil Nadu were demolished last week despite protests from devotees and members of Hindu organisations, raising concerns about the state government’s alleged bias in enforcing demolition orders against Hindu temples. The incidents occurred in Pollachi and Madurai, where authorities razed the Sakthi Vinayagar Temple and the Kalyana Vinayagar Temple, sparking outrage among the Hindu community.
In the first instance, the Sakthi Vinayagar Temple, located at the Pollachi Railway Station, was demolished by authorities under the Amrit Bharat Scheme, a project aimed at improving infrastructure, including the construction of a flyover estimated at Rs 6 crores. Railway authorities claimed that the temple, situated at the entrance of the railway station, caused traffic congestion and needed to be removed to make way for the project.
Upon hearing the news of the impending demolition, local devotees and members of the Hindu Munnani organisation gathered at the temple in protest. They urged authorities to reconsider the decision, emphasising that the temple, a spiritual hub for railway passengers and locals, did not obstruct public movement. Devotees stressed the temple’s significance, as it was an integral part of their daily religious practices, with poojas being conducted three times a day.
Sivakumar, a representative of Hindu Munnani, expressed disappointment with the authorities’ decision. “We submitted petitions to the Palakkad Railway Division and Pollachi Sub-Collector, requesting them not to demolish the temple. The chosen day for the demolition was Chathurthi, a sacred day with special poojas. Despite the importance of the temple to the local community, the authorities went ahead, ignoring the fact that the temple does not hinder public movement,” he said.
Despite these efforts, the temple was demolished, and power connections to the temple were cut off by the railway officials. Protests led by Hindu Munnani, Bharathiya Hanuman Sena, Vivekananda Seva Centre, and other local organizations ensued but could not prevent the demolition.
In a separate incident, authorities in Madurai demolished the Kalyana Vinayagar Temple located on Sannadhi Street, near the famous Tiruparankundram Murugan Temple, one of the six abodes of Bhagwan Murugan. The local administration claimed the temple needed to be removed to clear encroachments on the parikrama path around the Murugan Temple. As in Pollachi, devotees and members of Hindu Munnani protested the demolition, with crowds gathering to prevent the temple from being razed.
Although talks were held with the authorities, and assurances were given to rebuild the temple, the demolition proceeded. The temple management was given time to remove idols and other sacred items from the site. It was reported that the temple idol would be temporarily relocated under a babul tree until a new location could be found.
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Hindu Munnani and local devotees accused the authorities of bias in targeting Hindu temples for demolition while turning a blind eye to similar cases involving minority religious sites. They cited an example in which Muslims successfully prevented the demolition of a mosque, despite the fact that the mosque was built illegally.
ஆக்கிரமிப்பு அகற்ற பள்ளிவாசலில் இஸ்லாமியர்கள் எதிர்ப்பு பம்மும் ஏவல் துறை
இந்துக்களுக்குவந்தால் தக்காளி சட்னி இஸ்லாமியர்களுக்குவந்தால் இரத்தம் இது என்னங்கடா கதையா இருக்கு ⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️ 😡 😡 😡 😡 pic.twitter.com/W0DxJXdzwh— வாழும் ஔரங்கசீப் சொடலை 🧡💚🧡 பிரபஞ்சன்🧡💚🧡 (@RSS91978) October 16, 2024
Earlier in June 2024, hundreds of Muslims gathered in Koyambedu, Chennai, to protest against the demolition of the Masjid-e-Hidaya mosque, which was built illegally on public land. Despite a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the demolition, the protest led to meetings between Muslim leaders and Chief Minister MK Stalin, who reportedly agreed to explore alternatives to stop the mosque’s demolition. Hindu activists allege that no such leniency is shown toward Hindu temples facing similar demolition orders.
Hindu Munnani leaders argue that this pattern of selective enforcement is evident throughout the state, where over 250 temples have been demolished in the three years since the Dravidian Model government came to power. They claim that mosques and churches, even those built illegally or on encroached land, are often spared demolition despite court orders, while Hindu temples are disproportionately targeted.
“Why do authorities enforce court orders selectively? When the court ordered the demolition of illegal structures in Chennai, Muslim leaders met with the Chief Minister, and the mosque still stands. Yet, Hindu temples are being razed without such intervention,” said a Hindu Munnani spokesperson.
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