The TVK government led by CM Joseph Vijay has decided to maintain the status quo regarding the Thiruparankundram Deepam dispute, a long-standing controversy surrounding the lighting of a ceremonial lamp on the ancient hilltop stone pillar, which has come as no surprise to Hindus.
Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Law and Electricity, Nirmal Kumar, on Saturday, June 6, said lamps would be lit on Thiruparankundram Hill during Karthigai Deepam as per the existing practice.
Talking to the media in Madurai, the minister said the government would not allow any individual or religious force to use the matter for political purposes. He said, “We will not allow anyone or any religious force to enter into this and engage in politics.”
Nirmal Kumar, who switched loyalty from the BJP to the AIADMK and now to the TVK, said the lamp would be lit using the existing pathway on Thiruparankundram Hill. His remarks come after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on June 5 orally sought the new state government’s position on the Thiruparankundram Karthigai Deepam row.
Since the inception of the TVK party, its leader Joseph Vijay has not commented on this issue, and his party remained silent when the issue was at its peak and devotees were expecting a pro-Deepam stand during the elections.
TN BJP spokesman Narayanan Tirupathy has condemned the government’s stance on this issue.
திருப்பரங்குன்றம் தீபம் விவகாரத்தில் நீதிமன்றம் அளித்த உத்தரவை அமல்படுத்தமாட்டோம். இரண்டு வருடங்களுக்கு முன்னர் எந்த நிலை இருந்ததோ, அதே நிலை தான் தொடரும். மதவாத சக்திகளின் விருப்பத்தை நிறைவேற்ற மாட்டோம் என்று தமிழக சட்டத்துறை அமைச்சர் நிர்மல் குமார் கூறியிருப்பது வன்மையாக…
— Narayanan Thirupathy (@narayanantbjp) June 6, 2026
The HC also extended the interim stay granted against several interim orders passed by Justice GR Swaminathan in contempt petitions related to the alleged non-implementation of his earlier order directing the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam on the Deepathoon atop the hill.
On January 6, 2026, a Division Bench of the Madras High Court upheld a single judge’s order directing that the Karthigai Deepam ceremonial lamp be lit at the stone pillar known as Deepathoon atop the Thiruparankundram Hills in Madurai, rejecting appeals by the State of Tamil Nadu and other parties challenging that direction.
The then DMK government took all possible steps to avoid the implementation of the court orders. It had engaged highly paid Supreme Court lawyers to defend its cases in the High Court and the Supreme Court. After the polls and a change of guard at the Secretariat, the political seat of the State, the new TVK government took the same stand as the DMK in not honouring the HC orders.
TN BJP youth wing leader SG Surya, in a post on X, said: “Defying court orders to light the Karthigai Deepam on the #Thiruparankundram Deepathoon is an authoritarian attack by Minister Thiru. @CTR_Nirmalkumar and the #TVK Govt on the faith of Murugan devotees. This yet again proves that DMK = TVK.”
Defying court orders to light the Karthigai Deepam on the #Thiruparankundram Deepathoon is an authoritarian attack by Minister Thiru.@CTR_Nirmalkumar and the #TVK Govt on the faith of Murugan devotees. This yet again proves that DMK = TVK.
திருப்பரங்குன்றம் தீபத்தூணில் தீபம்… pic.twitter.com/iSy6KrYlR9
— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) June 6, 2026
Tamilisai Soundararajan, BJP leader, hit out at the TVK government over the Thiruparankundram Deepam row, accusing it of ignoring Hindu sentiments. “Hindus are fighting for the right to light the lamp at Thiruparankundram. Like the previous DMK government, they are maintaining the status quo and brushing aside people’s emotions. We cannot accept it and we will not give up our rights.”
BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan hit out at the TVK government over the Thiruparankundram Deepam row, accusing it of ignoring Hindu sentiments
"Hindus are fighting for the right to light the lamp at Thiruparankundram. Like the previous DMK government, they are maintaining the… https://t.co/Smq1a5Onou pic.twitter.com/tR2XLHnWQj
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) June 6, 2026
She further said, “The Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister, in Madurai, regarding Thiruparankundram, is portraying the struggle to assert rights as if it were a threat to peace and saying that we will stick to whatever the situation was two years ago. Why do we need change, he asks. If that’s the case, if we say let the situation that prevailed in Tamil Nadu two years ago continue, can the people of Tamil Nadu ask how all of you came to power and why you came?”
Hindu Munnani State President Kadeswara Subramaniam, in a statement, urged the new government to honour the sentiments and devotion of Hindus by lighting the lamp at the stone pillar as per the court orders.
He said, “Thiruparankundram, being the first of the six abodes of Bhagwan Murugan, attracts lakhs of devotees annually. When the court gave its verdict, crores of devotees hailed it with overwhelming joy. The HC has directed that the TVK government should make clear its stand on a petition filed by an individual before June 22 in a recent hearing. It is the expectation of all that the new government, instead of taking a confrontational stand, should honour the court verdict upheld by the HC Division Bench.”
