MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Thursday allowed conduct of a peaceful hunger strike at Thiruparankundram on December 13, demanding to light Karthigai Deepam on the deepathoon atop the hill, on condition that the participants do not raise any slogans or give political colour to the event.
Justice S Srimathy passed the order on a petition filed by R Prabhu, an advocate from Thiruparankundram, who approached the court against the rejection of his application by police on December 8.
The judge said only 50 participants should be permitted in the hunger strike, which can take place between 9 am to 5 pm on December 13, with the use of just one microphone. No provocative slogans against any persons or groups should be raised.
Only mantras can be chanted, she added. Both the petitioner and the police should not give political colour to the event, she further said, adding that the entire proceedings should be videographed.
Prabhu claimed that the custom of lighting the deepam on the deepathoon was in practice till 1926 but the same was discontinued owing to civil suits.
Though the HC had recently ordered that the lamp should be lit on the deepathoon, the same was also not implemented by the authorities, he added. Hence, people of Thiruparankundram wanted to hold a one-day fast in Mayil Mandapam in Sannidhi street of Thirupparankundram on December 13, he said.