On June 29, the Madras High Court refused to issue any orders restricting the practice of offering Namaz along a path leading to the Kasi Viswanathar Temple at Thirupparankundram, which is situated in the Madurai District.
A bench comprising of Justices R Subramanian and L Victoria Gowri declined to order an interim stay of the offering of Namaz at Nellithopu and directed the Hindu Religious & Charitable endowment to respond to the petition and file their counters within four weeks. The court also added that there was no harm caused by offering of Namaz for 30 minutes and that it would not have any consequences for any particular person.
Who filed the petition?
The petition was filed by the State Organisation Secretary of Aghila Bharatha Hanuman Sena, Ramalingam. In his petition, Ramalingam submitted that devotees who went to pray at the Kasi Viswanathar Temple, situated at the top of Thirupparakundram used to take rest and have their food at Nellithoppu. He submitted that while so, the Jamath Members of Sikkandar Badhusha Dharga started offering Namaz at the said Nellithoppu place.
He further submitted that the Jamath members usually offered their prayers at the Pallivasal (Mosque) and that this type of incident has never happened before. It was added by him that the Sikkandar Badhusha Dharga is also situated at the Thirupparakundram Mountain and there were other vacant lands available for offering prayers nearby.
According to Ramalingam’s submission, the Jamath members’ act of offering Namaz in Nellithopu caused disturbances and inconveniences to the public. He alleged that after the prayers, they left behind food waste and plastic, littering the pathway. Additionally, the Jamath members laid claim to the Thirupparakundram Arulmighu Subramania Swamy Thirukoil Mountain, referring to it as the “Sikkandar Mountain,” and he accused them of attempting to encroach on the land and create law and order issues.
Court’s decision
However, the court was not inclined to grant the interim injunction and adjourned the said plea. The court also expressed that there would be no harm caused by allowing thirty minutes of Namaz and assured that it would not inconvenience anyone.
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