Stalin to decide on nod for event: Sekarbabu

CHENNAI: HR&CE Minister PK Sekarbabu on Wednesday said that Chief Minister MK Stalin will take a decision on whether to permit the Pattina Pravesam of Dharmapuram Adheenam.

“The Pattina Pravesam is scheduled on May 22 and still there is time for the event. The Chief Minister will hold a meeting and will take decision on the issue,” said Sekarbabu, while responding to a calling attention motion introduced by the AIADMK, Congress and PMK.

While the AIADMK and PMK wanted the state government to permit the Pattina Pravesam event, Congress opposed it. Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami said that Dharmapuram Adheenam has been involved in the service of Tamil language for several years and even donated 60 acres of land for constructing Mayiladuthurai Collectorate.

PMK floor leader GK Mani said that the tradition of carrying Adheenams in palanquins has been in practice for close to 700 years. Public are not permitted to carry, but only those involved with the Mutts will be permitted to carry. Moreover, the palanquin is carried within their premises and so the government should not ban the event. However, Congress floor leader K Selvaperunthagai said that humans carrying another human is against human rights and recollected the incident when Periyar asked Sankarachariyar to desist from traveling in palanquins carried by his devotees and former chief minister M Karunanidhi banned hand-pulled rickshaws.

Sekarbabu replied that he spoke with Dharmapuram Adheenam over phone and during the conversation, the religious leader had informed him that a case is pending in the court on the issue and he will abide by the Court order.