CHENNAI: Minister for Natural Resources S Regupathy on Thursday questioned how could the government implement the order of the single judge when an earlier order of a division bench of the high court (issued in 2017) had clearly said the deepam should be lit at the usual place. He also strongly condemned AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami for supporting those who are trying to incite riots on the basis of the religion without realising that the earlier order was obtained during the tenure of AIADMK government.
“Palaniswami, who has become a hired labourer of BJP and RSS and has turned AIADMK into ‘Amit Shah DMK’, is now shamefully supporting the forces that are attempting to incite riots in peace loving Tamil Nadu.” Earlier, in a post on X, the minister said as long as Chief Minister MK Stalin remains at the helm, “communal and divisive forces” and their “slaves” cannot disturb the peace prevailing in Tamil Nadu. He said Tamil people, who live harmoniously, will give a fitting reply to “enemies and betrayers”.
The CPI and the CPM also sharply criticised the order, calling the verdict “provocative”, “inappropriate” and “damaging to secularism”.
VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan urged the state government to invoke the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against those involved in the violence and urged the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court to take action against the judge concerned for his directives.