Religious tensions gripped the Thiruparankundram hill in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, after police barred members of the Muslim community from transporting goats and hens to the Sikandar Badusha Dargah, located atop the hill. The police stated that while prayers were permitted, animal sacrifices were not allowed.
The hill also houses the revered Murugan Temple, situated close to the Dargah, adding a layer of religious sensitivity to the issue. The police clarified that while cooked non-vegetarian food could be transported and consumed, the ban was limited to the movement of live animals such as goats and hens.
In an effort to mediate and ease the situation, Indian Union Muslim League MP Nawaz Kani visited the site and held discussions with the Madurai Police Commissioner. After the meeting, it was decided that transporting cooked non-vegetarian food to the Dargah would be permitted, but restrictions on the transportation of live animals for sacrifice would remain in place.
Speaking on the matter, Nawaz Kani expressed optimism about resolving the issues. In a statement shared on X, he said, “We visited the Madurai Sikandar Dargah and conducted a field survey. We met the Police Commissioner of Madurai and urged that all people should take steps to come and go with harmony as it was in the past without any problem.”
He also referenced the harmonious coexistence of a different Dargah and Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He added that measures were being taken to ensure visitors could access the Dargah without inconvenience, stating, “Soon all restrictions will be lifted, and all arrangements will be made for people to visit the Dargah without any difficulty as it was in the past.”
However, Kani’s visit and statements drew sharp criticism from the BJP. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai condemned the MP’s actions, accusing him of attempting to create divisions between religious communities.
In a post on X, Annamalai stated, “In the spiritual land of Tamil Nadu, all religions have their own rules of worship at their places of religious worship. Their sanctity must be preserved. But the events taking place at Thiruparankundram Subramanya Swamy Temple (Murugan Temple) are unpleasant.”
He further alleged that Kani’s actions were a direct affront to the sanctity of the Murugan temple, which is considered sacred by Hindus. “To foment division, the MP consumed non-vegetarian food at Thiruparankundram Subramanya Swamy Hill. This is not only completely wrong but also a religious riot,” Annamalai said.
He also reminded people of Tamil Nadu’s legacy of social harmony, emphasising the need to respect religious rituals and maintain peace. “For all these years, the people of Tamil Nadu have been living in social harmony and respecting the rituals of all religions. A Member of Parliament acting to spoil it is foolish. Totally unacceptable,” Annamalai said.