RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said the Thiruparankundram Deepam issue can be resolved locally through the strength of Hindus, urging Hindu groups in Tamil Nadu to assert their rights without national escalation.
BY PC Bureau
December 11, 2025: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said the Thiruparankundram Karthigai Deepam dispute “can be resolved in Tamil Nadu itself on the strength of awakened Hindus,” signalling that the Sangh does not see the need—at least for now—for national-level intervention in the escalating religious and political crisis.
Speaking at the “100 Years of Sangh Journey – New Horizons” event on December 10, Bhagwat said: “If escalation is needed, it will be done. Then we will think about it. At present, the issue can be resolved here only… We will not need to escalate it.” His remarks come amid intensifying tensions over the lighting of the ceremonial Deepam at the Deepathoon pillar on the Thiruparankundram hill, near Madurai.
Flashpoint Over Karthigai Deepam
The annual Karthigai Deepam festival—which traditionally involves lighting a lamp at multiple hilltop points—has turned into a major law-and-order and political flashpoint after the Tamil Nadu government restricted the ritual at Deepathoon, citing security concerns due to the proximity of a dargah.
A December 1 Madras High Court order by Justice G.R. Swaminathan directed that the Deepam be lit at the disputed pillar, citing constitutional rights to religious practice. However, police prevented devotees from reaching the site on December 3, triggering clashes with right-wing activists and leading to arrests, protests, and prohibitory orders.
Impeachment Motion Sparks Political Storm
The state’s refusal to implement the order prompted protest petitions and a wider political fight. DMK MPs have prepared a draft impeachment motion against Justice Swaminathan, alleging judicial overreach and violation of secular principles—an unprecedented step that has inflamed tensions between the ruling alliance and opposition parties.
The move comes as the Tamil Nadu government has appealed the High Court decision in the Supreme Court, which is set to hear the matter.
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DMK vs BJP–RSS: A Deepening Confrontation
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has defended the state’s actions, arguing that the festival was conducted in line with “long-standing tradition” and accusing the BJP–RSS of attempting to stoke communal tensions for political gain. BJP leaders, including Union Minister L. Murugan, have accused the state of “denying Hindus the right to worship.”
A parallel case in Dindigul—where the High Court allowed Deepam lighting on temple land despite objections—has added fuel to claims of a wider religious rights conflict under the DMK government.
Bhagwat’s remarks appear designed to bolster Hindu groups in Tamil Nadu while avoiding an immediate national-level confrontation. He stressed that the RSS “is for Hindus but not against any other religion,” framing the dispute as a matter of ensuring religious rights rather than communal conflict.
His comments have been welcomed by right-wing organisations on the ground, but sharply criticised by DMK leaders, who accuse the RSS chief of attempting to “ignite” the issue for political mileage.
The matter now hinges on the Supreme Court’s upcoming hearing on Tamil Nadu’s plea to suspend the High Court order. Ground-level protests continue sporadically, but Bhagwat’s intervention has shifted the momentum toward local Hindu mobilisation rather than national escalation.
The controversy—touching on religious rights, judicial authority, and state autonomy—has quickly become one of Tamil Nadu’s most contentious flashpoints ahead of the election season.
