KANNIYAKUMARI: Hitting out at the BJP for politicising functions at places of worship, Information Technology minister T Mano Thangaraj on Sunday said the public have started boycotting the party for deceiving linguistic and caste minorities in the district.
Further, he said BJP was trying to deflect attention from their promise of providing educational assistance to Hindu students. The statement comes a day after BJP members opposed the minister from pulling the temple car at Velimalai Kumarasamy temple conducted as part of the Vaikasi Visakam festival.
"The current DMK government allotted Rs 50 crore through the HR&CE department in the district. Upgradation of basic facilities and renovation works for Kumbabisekam at the temple are being carried out. Such measures were not done in the past. Since DMK took charge, the state government has been implementing welfare schemes to linguistic and caste minorities of Hindu religion without any discrimination," said Mano Thangaraj.
Endorsing a separation of spirituality and politics, the minister said BJP is adopting a political strategy to change spirituality into religious bigotry. "Kanniyakumari is a place of spirituality. Tamil Nadu government respects people's feelings and assists them in understanding their needs. BJP is trying to instigate people as they cannot digest this," he added.