Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said that the Tamil Nadu government has banned watching live telecast of Ayodha Ram Mandir programmes to be held on January 22. Taking to the microblogging platform, she slammed the Chief Minister MK Stalin led DMK government in Tamil Nadu and called this action "anti-Hindu" and "hateful".
Following the allegations, the Tamil Nadu government on Sunday issued a press release denying the allegations of ban on any pujas or Annadhanam. The state government said that false information is given by the union minister quoting a newspaper report. The release also said that legal action will be taken against paper for publishing wrong news. However, the press release by the state government was silent on allegations of ban on live telecast of Ayodha Ram Mandir programmes to be held on January 22.
Tamil Nadu's Hindu Religious Endowment Minister Shekharbabu also denied the claims made by the finance miniter and said that Tamil Nadu government has not imposed any restrictions on devotees to perform puja in the name of Ram or give alms in temples in Tamil Nadu. Read here
In her tweet, the finance minister has claimed that in HR and CE managed temples no puja, nhajan, prasadam and annadanam is allowed in the name of Lord Ram. She further alleged that the Police are stopping privately held temples from organising events and threatening organisers that they will rip off pandals.
FM Sitharaman said that "In Tamil Nadu there are over 200 temples for Shri Ram. In HR&CE managed temples no puja/bhajan/prasadam/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. Strongly condemn this anti-Hindu, hateful action."
Sitharaman added to her X thread and alleged that people are being "prevented and threatened from organising bhajans, feeding the poor, distributing sweets and celebrating when all they want is to see PM Narendra Modi in the Ram Temple consecrations ceremony at Ayodhya.
She further alleged that "Cable TV operators have been told that there is a possibility of power cut during the live telecast." And called it an "anti-Hindu move" by the key partner DMK of INDI alliance. The minister further added to her X thread and said that the Tamil Nadu government is "unofficially" claiming law and order issues to justify the live telecast ban.