CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has permitted the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department to reopen the Dharmaraja Draupadi Amman temple at Melpathi in Villupuram district for conducting routine pooja. However, the court did not allow devotees to enter the temple in order to avert any law and order issues.
Justice N Anand Venkatesh passed the interim orders on a petition filed by PMK’s legal wing head K Balu. The temple was closed in June 2023 after opposition to the entry of the scheduled caste community.
“The temple will be opened only to enable the poojari to enter and perform the pooja and after pooja is completed, the temple will remain closed,” the judge said in the order passed on Monday. He also said, “No one will be permitted to enter the temple until further orders are passed by this court.”
The judge directed the Villupuram Superintendent of Police (SP) to make arrangements for deploying sufficient number of police personnel to "ensure that no law and order problem is created". The interim arrangement would continue until further orders and this would not in any way affect the right of the respective parties and the right of the existing priest, he stated.
The judge directed the police to take stringent action against trouble makers. “It is made clear that if any one attempts to create any law and order problem or cause any violence, it is left open to the police to take stringent action against them. Considering the fact that Lok Sabha elections are going to be held, this court has to ensure that no untoward incident or law and order problem is created,” Justice Venkatesh stated.
He wanted the concerned authorities to bring it to the notice of the court if any issues are created. The judge further stated that the decision to reopen the temple for performing only the pooja by a priest was taken after considering the submissions that the sentiments and beliefs of the local people would be affected if it was not performed.
Tamil Nadu Advocate General PS Raman, representing the government, submitted that a volatile situation is prevailing in the area and the court can take a decision by considering the sentiments of the locals. State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah told the court the police would ensure no person is allowed to enter the temple during the pooja.