Muslims opposing or objecting to Vinayaka Chaturthi celebrations in parts of Tamil Nadu have triggered anger among Hindu devotees and Hindu Munnani, with several incidents being highlighted on social media.
One of the major issues raised this year is from LabbaiKaadu in Perambalur district, where Hindus say they are facing objections from Muslims, who are dominant in the area. According to a video, a Hindu Munnani functionary said Muslims had refused to allow Vinayaka murtis to pass through the village for immersion next week.
The functionary said around 90 per cent of the residents in the Panchayat Union are Muslims. He said that in neighbouring villages such as Kalanivasal and Su. Aduthurai, where Hindus are dominant, Vinayaka murtis are installed and taken to the Cauvery in Thiruvaiyaru for immersion as there are no suitable water bodies in their district.
According to him, murtis from five or six villages have to pass through Rani Mangammal Road to reach the National Highway bypass, covering nearly 80 km. He alleged that because of Muslim dominance and the presence of mosques and churches, Muslims oppose the procession passing through this stretch.
He further said the police had denied permission to take the murtis in vehicles for immersion, citing the same reasons. As a result, devotees have been forced to travel to Cuddalore district, around 140 km from their area, for immersion.
“This is an act of denying Hindus their constitutional rights and an oppressive measure,” the Hindu Munnani functionary said. He added that the organisation had been continuously fighting for their rights.
He also referred to an earlier incident involving Pennakonam villagers in 2014, saying that police had foisted cases against them and threatened them. According to him, youths have since been facing cases and are afraid to participate in celebrations because they fear that this could affect their foreign and domestic job opportunities.
“Youths have been threatened,” he said.
He clarified that Hindus were not asking for permission to take out a procession, but only wanted permission to take the murtis through the road.
The denial of permission, he said, had forced them to ask: “Is LabbaiKaadu in India or in Pakistan?”
“Why do the Muslims in the village lack tolerance? All are Indians — is it only a slogan?” he asked.
He also questioned why the Tamil Nadu Police could not talk to the Muslims in the village and get them to agree to allow vehicles carrying Vinayaka murtis to pass through the village.
He warned that the LabbaiKaadu issue could become an example of what happens if Muslims become dominant in an area and Hindus are forced to give up their rights, including the right to take vehicles carrying murtis through a common passage.
“This is an injustice to us,” he said.
He also pointed out that a new signboard had recently appeared showing a change in the name of the village and the road.
“We request the police authorities to give us permission this year. If not allowed, it would confirm it is in Pakistan,” he said.
"பெரம்பலூரில் ஒரு பாகிஸ்தான் – லப்பைகுடிகாடு பகுதியில் விநாயகர் செல்ல தடை."🚨 pic.twitter.com/KsqrW1hvgF
— MR.Anil (@Saffron_Anil_) September 12, 2026
Questions over ‘Mini Pakistans’
Echoing the concerns, a netizen condemned the authorities and asked how many “Pakistans” there are in Tamil Nadu.
The post referred to North Vellore, Vaniyambadi, Ambur, Mayiladuthurai, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur and the Cauvery delta areas, Nellikuppam and Panruti in Villupuram district, and areas in the south such as Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Madurai and Sivakasi, as well as Coimbatore and Tiruppur in western Tamil Nadu.
The netizen said these areas could make it appear that there is no part of Tamil Nadu free from “Mini Pakistans”, claiming that they had grown to such a magnitude because of Dravidian parties.
“Days will come, we have to seek prior permission to celebrate festivals including Vinayaka Chaturthi,” the netizen said.
பெரம்பலூரில் ஒரு பாகிஸ்தான் – லப்பைகுடிகாடு பகுதியில் விநாயகர் செல்ல தடை.
அடப்பாவிங்களா தமிழ்நாட்டில எத்தனை மினி பாகிஸ்தான் வச்சிருக்கீங்க குல்லா பாய்ஸ்?
வடக்கு வேலூர், வாணியம்பாடி, ஆம்பூர் பகுதிகள் டெல்டா மாவட்டத்தில் மயிலாடுதுறை கும்பகோணம் தஞ்சாவூர் பகுதிகளில் கடலூர்… pic.twitter.com/T7y8JllN9l
— 🪷 MЄЄƝƛ ƖƳЄƦ 🪷 (@Maha_Periyavaa) September 13, 2026
Keezhakkarai procession issue
Hindu Munnani has also condemned the government for denying permission to take out a procession in Keezhakkarai, a Muslim-dominated area in Ramanathapuram district.
In a statement, Hindu Munnani said the issue was similar to the LabbaiKaadu case.
“It is for the police and the government to protect the rights of Hindus and not to prevent them,” the organisation said.
It urged the police and the TVK government to give permission for the procession this year.
முஸ்லிம்கள் பெரும்பான்மை என்ற காரணத்திற்காக
விநாயகர் சதுர்த்தி ஊர்வலத்தை, அரசு தடுப்பது நியாயமா…?இராமநாதபுரம் மாவட்டம், கீழக்கரையில் முஸ்லிம்கள் பெரும்பான்மையாக வசிக்கிறார்கள் என்பதால் அந்த சாலை வழியே விநாயகர் ஊர்வலத்திற்கு காவல்துறை அனுமதி மறுத்திருக்கிறது.
இந்திய… pic.twitter.com/Rbd5jbeRvc
— Hindu Munnani (@hindumunnani_tn) September 12, 2026
Police visit Hindu’s house at midnight
In another incident, a police team reportedly knocked on the door of a Hindu at midnight over the installation of a Vinayaka murti in front of his house without permission.
The house owner argued that he had not done anything illegal and had only installed the murti. He said there were no loudspeakers, which would require police permission.
The owner questioned why he needed permission to worship his God. He refused to receive the summons, leading to an argument with the police.
பெரும்பான்மை இந்துக்கள் வாழும் நாட்டில், விநாயகர் சதுர்த்தியை முன்னிட்டு நம் வீட்டு வாசலில் விநாயகரை வழிபடக் கூட அனுமதி வாங்க வேண்டுமாம்.🤡 pic.twitter.com/FyX1ruggWu
— MR.Anil (@Saffron_Anil_) September 13, 2026
Questions over consultations with Muslims
Another netizen questioned the discussions being held over Vinayaka Chaturthi celebrations.
“Now, if every time a Hindu festival is celebrated, need to consult with Muslims?” the post asked.
The netizen said that during Muslim festivals, there were no such peace talks and Hindus were not invited, claiming that Hindus never opposed their festivals.
Discussion related to Vinayagar Chathurthi…
Now, if everytime a Hindu festival is celebrated, need to consult with Muslims? pic.twitter.com/42bguJLEsr
— Dharmic Indians (@dharmic_indians) September 12, 2026
Banner depicting Vinayaka cooking biryani removed
Following opposition from Hindu Munnani and outrage among devotees, police removed a banner depicting Vinayaka cooking biryani.
The banner had reportedly been put up by a shop owner. When contacted they said it had been removed and that there would be no more discussion on the issue.
விநாயகர் பிரியாணி சமைப்பது போன்ற விளம்பர பேனர் அகற்றம்..
நெல்லை மாநகரம், வி.எம்.சத்திரம் பாலம் அருகில், விநாயகர் பிரியாணி சமைப்பது போல் விளம்பரம் வைத்த வேற்றுமத கடை உரிமையாளர்..
இந்துமுன்னணி மற்றும் பொதுமக்கள் எதிர்ப்பைத் தொடர்ந்து விளம்பர பேனரை அகற்றிய நெல்லை மாநகர காவல்… pic.twitter.com/gJVmb4Onix
— Hindu Munnani (@hindumunnani_tn) September 12, 2026
Anger over CM Vijay and TVK
One netizen also criticised the situation in Tamil Nadu, asking: “Only in TN this kind of stupidity can happen?”
The post referred to actor Vijay as “Joseph Vijay” and criticised as excessive public fascination with him, comparing it with the possession shown in Chandramukhi.
#TamilNaduNews #ChennaiNews
Only in TN this kind of stupidity can happen !!?
They have made "Joseph" vijay Vinayagar
People have gone nuts…Reminds of fully possessed Chandramuki !!
People are possessed by his craze !
😐🙄🤔😳😒😑😢😞😤😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/QF2Ea224Y1— RajeIyer (@RajeswariAiyer) September 11, 2026
2022 Madras High Court direction
The issue of installing Vinayaka murtis in Muslim-dominated areas has also come before the courts.
In 2022, the Madras High Court directed a litigant, Maha Lakshmi of Ukkadam, to give an undertaking along with a local Jamaath committee before the Coimbatore Police for installing a Vinayaka murti in a Muslim-dominated housing board area ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi.
The installation was to be carried out according to the rules and regulations framed by the government.
#RSS #Tamilnadu #highcourt #ChennaiHighCourt pic.twitter.com/VVfdem993n
— Mediyaan (@mediyaannews) October 1, 2024
Repeated disputes over Hindu festivals
The Tamil Nadu government, whether under DMK, AIADMK or TVK, is criticised by Hindu organisations and their supporters for what they describe as repeated restrictions despite High Court and Supreme Court orders.
According to this argument, minority groups would oppose Hindu festivals, the singing of Vande Mataram, standing during the playing of the National Anthem, or Tricolour rallies.
The police, they claim, would in such cases cite the same reasons: that the area is dominated by minorities, that churches and mosques are located along the procession route, or that drumming and dancing would affect namaz and prayers.
The argument put forward by Hindu organisations is that such reasons should not override the rights of Hindus, particularly when the Supreme Court and High Courts have repeatedly dealt with similar issues.
They also argue that the RSS and Hindu organisations should not have to approach courts every year seeking police permission for their functions and rallies, and that standard procedures should be framed so that such disputes do not recur.
Restrictions under the TVK government
This year, several restrictions have been highlighted under the actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay’s TVK government.
The criticism is that an ecosystem that has developed in Tamil Nadu during decades of continuous Dravidian rule has now become more emboldened under a TVK government.
There is little expectation among these critics of any dramatic or visible change in the government’s attitude towards Hindus and their festivals.
One point they view positively, however, is that Chief Minister Vijay Joseph, for the first time in the history of the state after Jayalalithaa, wished Hindus on Krishna Asthami, something he had not done before getting elected to the Assembly.
The series of incidents being highlighted ahead of Vinayaka Chaturthi has brought back a long-running question in Tamil Nadu: whether religious festivals and processions should depend on the religious composition of a particular locality.
