Can’t reject screening requests of Ram Mandir ceremony, Supreme Court directs Tamil Nadu

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to not to summarily reject requests for live streaming of Lord Ram Lalla’s ‘pran pratishtha’ (consecration ceremony) in the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, as a PIL claimed the state has banned it.

The court said that the permission can’t be rejected on the sole ground that other communities are living in the locality. The apex court has also asked that the state to maintain a data of the applications received and decisions taken.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu government told the court that there is no ban on holding screenings of the ceremony or holdings special poojas or bhajans on the occasion.

The decision comes after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday moved the Supreme Court as an urgent matter for hearing against the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government’s alleged order banning the live telecast of Lord Ram Lalla’s ‘pran-pratishtha’ (consecration ceremony) in the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya on Monday, at temples and other public places.

The petition, representing BJP’s state unit secretary Vinoj P Selvam, has been filed by Advocate G Balaji.

“It is respectfully submitted that State Government run by DMK political party has banned live telecast of the auspicious occasion of ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Lord Ram at Ayodhya in all the temples across the state of Tamil Nadu,” the plea said as per the news agency.

“The government has also banned all kinds of poojas, Archana and Annadanam (poor feeding) bhajans on this auspicious occasion. Such arbitrary exercise of power by the State Government (through police officials) per se violates fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution,” it added.

On Sunday, union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman claimed that there were several reports alleging MK Stalin-led state government has banned the live streaming of the pran-pratishtha ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla in Ayodhya Ram Mandir which is scheduled to take place today.

Saying that there are over 200 temples dedicated to Lord Ram in the state, Sitharaman said the police are stopping privately held temples also from organising events.

“Tamil Nadu government has banned watching live telecast of Ayodha Ram Mandir programmes of January 22. In Tamil Nadu there are over 200 temples for Shri Ram. In HR and CE managed temples no puja, bhajan, prasadam or annadanam in the name of Shri Ram is allowed. Police are stopping privately held temples also from organising events. They are threatening organisers that they will rip off pandals,” the finance minister wrote on X.

The assertions were however denied by the state as ‘false news with ulterior motives’.

“Strongly condemn the spreading of false information in an attempt to divert people’s attention from the DMK Youth Conference in Salem…It is unfortunate that people in office, like Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others, are purposefully propagating this erroneous information,” he said in a social media post.

“The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department hasn’t imposed any limitations on devotees’ freedom to offer food, conduct poojas in the name of Shri Ram, or provide prasad in Tamil Nadu temples,” the state minister added.

The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya Temple will be held at 12:30 pm today. The historic ritual will be graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, saints, and a host of distinguished guests.