On Saturday (18th January), the police stopped Islamist outfits including the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned terrorist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) from carrying out animal slaughter (Qurbani) in Madurai Hill in Thirparankundram city in Tamil Nadu.
This came after Solaikannan, the Madurai district president of the Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK), submitted an appeal to Police Commissioner Loganathan to stop the Islamic outfits from offering Qurbani by slaughtering goats and chickens at the Sikandar Badushah dargah on the sacred Madurai Hill where the famous Murugan Temple is situated.
In his plea, Solaikannan emphasised that the Thiruparankundram Subramaniya Swamy Temple hill in Madurai is an ancient site and of great religious importance to Hindus. The Hindu community here has been worshipping the hill and performing girivalam (circumambulation) on every full moon.
On Saturday, a group of Muslims led by Islamic Jamath leaders attempted to enter the hill to give qurbani of goats and chickens for a feast at the dargah. However, the police denied entry to the Jamath leaders since only prayers are allowed at the dargah and not animal sacrifice.
As per a TOI report, Islamic outfits held talks last week with district administration officials, including revenue officials, seeking permission to perform sacrificial rituals at the Sikandar Badushah dargah. The Madurai district administration allowed only prayers at the dargah.
Hindu Munnani members resisted Muslims’ effort to sacrifice animals on the hill, one of Lord Murugan’s six sacred abodes. They said that Muslims are attempting to convert the hill into an Islamic place of worship.
According to BJP state president K Annamalai, Thiruparankundram Hill has a rich Hindu history as Lord Murugan’s first hallowed abode. “Some people are calling the Thiruparankundram hill as Sikandar malai (hill). The BJP leader accused the ruling DMK of indulging in Muslim appeasement. He emphasised the importance of maintaining peace atop Thiruparankundram hill, regardless of religious beliefs.
The recent controversy erupted on 27th December 2024 when some Muslims tried to bring goats and chickens for slaughter at the Dargah on Thiruparankundram Murugam Temple Hills. The police declared the area, which holds special significance to Hindus since it houses the Murugan Temple, one of Lord Muruga’s six holy abodes (Arupadai Veedu), off-limits to such activities. Syed Abu Dahir, a Malaiyadipatti resident, and his family were stopped by officials at the base of the hill, prompting a solidarity protest by more than 20 Muslims.
Earlier this month, over 100 members of the Sikandar Mosque Committee and Aiyykiya Kootamaippu Jamath were temporarily detained after attempting to demand the mosque’s opening and that they be allowed to offer namaz there. The protesting Islamist groups claimed on 5th January that Sultan Sikandar built the Sikandar Badushah Thozhugai Pallivasal approximately 400 years ago.
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உள்ள பள்ளிவாசலில் தொழுகை நடத்த அனுமதிக்க கோரிக்கை – போலீசார் அனுமதி மறுப்பு
ஆர்ப்பாட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டவர்கள் வலுக்கட்டாயமாக கைது; காவல்துறையினர், போராட்டக்காரர்கள் இடையே தள்ளுமுள்ளு#Madurai |… pic.twitter.com/4Vs7Pr7a4T
Subramaniya Swamy Temple is the “owner” of the Thiruparankundram Hill
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple, a lamp post, and a sacred Kallathi tree can all be found on the Thiruparankundran Hill’s peak. The Commune reported that during the British administration, the First Additional Subordinate Court decided that “the owner of the Thiruparankundram hill is Subramania Swamy Temple.” Since 2011, Islamist outfit SDPI has been protesting the erection of a flag near the lamppost on Thiruparankundram Hill and now are trying to give Qurbani on the Hill worshipped by Hindus apparently in a bid to assert dominance over the sacred hill and turn into an Islamic religious site.
In his appeal, Solaikannan of the Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK) contended that Muslims should not be permitted to give Qurbani on the Hill as it would undermine the sanctity of the Saivite sacred hill. “To protect the Jain temples and inscriptions located around the hill, he suggested that the entire area should be placed under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Department,” the Commune report said.
Local Hindus have alleged that under the guise of religious festivals, parts of the hill have been systematically encroached upon over time by the local Muslims. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government’s HR&CE Department has also been accused of Muslim appeasement politics contributing to the further escalation of communal tensions.
SDPI is the political arm of the banned radical Islamist outfit, Popular Front of India (PFI). People linked to this outfit have been on numerous occasions found to be involved in fuelling communal hatred, particularly against Hindus. In November this year, it was reported that a 45-year-old former Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) member was taken into custody in Coimbatore on allegation of trying to convert a mother and her daughter to Islam. Security experts have repeatedly noted that members of banned terror outfits carry out terror acts by renaming their groups or joining other outfits, prompting Parliament to individually book terrorists under UAPA.
