• By Vivek Raj
  • Mon, 22 Jan 2024 07:06 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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The Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, has prohibited the live telecast of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya scheduled for Monday, January 22. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman slammed the move and accused the state government for anti-Hindu sentiments.

Sitharaman took to her official social media account X and shared the information about the ban, asserting that over 200 temples dedicated to Lord Sri Ram in Tamil Nadu, particularly those managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE), have been instructed to abstain from conducting Puja, bhajan, Prasadam, and Annadanam in the name of Lord Ram on January 22.

“Heart-breaking scenes in several parts of TN. People are threatened for organising #bhajans, feeding the poor, and celebrating with sweets even as we wish to watch Hon. PM
@narendramodi participate in Ayodhya. Cable TV operators are told that there is a likely power shutdown during the live telecast. This is I.N.D.I Alliance partner DMK’s anti-Hindu efforts,” she wrote.

The Finance Minister further claimed that the police are being deployed to prevent the temples from organising events related to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in the state. She revealed that the police are reportedly threatening organisers, warning them of tearing down pandals if any programs are conducted in the name of Lord Shri Ram on January 22.

Expressing her dismay, Sitharaman condemned the Tamil Nadu government's move, labeling it as anti-Hindu and hateful, particularly when the entire nation is celebrating an event like Diwali. Sitharaman criticised the government's actions, alleging that they are attempting to create a false narrative of law and order issues to justify the live telecast ban.

“TN govt is unofficially claiming law and order issues to justify the live telecast ban. False and fake narrative! There were no L&O issues on the day of the Ayodhya verdict. Not even the day when PM @narendramodi laid the foundation, in any part of the country. The groundswell and the voluntary participation of people to celebrate #ShriRam in TN has rattled the anti-Hindu #DMK,” she posted on X.

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The Finance Minister highlighted that the groundswell and voluntary participation of people in Tamil Nadu to celebrate Lord Shri Ram have rattled the anti-Hindu stance of the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party, which is an alliance partner in the I.N.D.I bloc.