In an effort to replicate the success of Ram temple issue in the north, the State BJP unit has once again taken up the issue of ‘Kanda Sashti Kavasam’. The State level leaders performed ‘Vel Pooja’ at their houses on Sunday to condemn the Karuppar Kootam.
Chennai:
They held the ‘Vel Pooja’ against the controversial video released by released by Karuppar Kootam, a YouTube channel, criticising the devotional hymn ‘Kanda Sashti Kavasam’ on Lord Muruga.
Explaining the reason for conducting the pooja, BJP National Secretary H Raja tweeted, “August 9 is the day of Quit India Movement. On this day, let us perform ‘Vel Pooja’ to oust DK and DMK, who passed resolutions supporting the rule of English men.” The release of the video had triggered an uproar from right wing parties and outfits. Based on the complaints from BJP cadre, police had arrested members of Karuppar Koottam. Now, the party leaders in the State have decided to perform ‘Vel Pooja’ on Sunday to keep the momentum.
“To prove that Tamil Nadu is a religious land and to give a fitting reply to those who insulted Lord Muruga, ‘Vel Pooja’ is performed,” Raja added in another tweet. Another senior leader and former union minister Pon Radhakrishnan also performed ‘Vel Pooja’, stating that there was no need to fear as long as Lord Muruga was being worshipped.
State treasurer SR Sekar, who too performed ‘Vel Pooja’, said every household should perform the pooja and chant the hymn to oust the Dravidian forces from Tamil Nadu.
AIADMK’s former Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan also performed the pooja at his house. But he inadvertently set off a controversy after Twitterati criticised him for performing the pooja in his kitchen.
Oppn hits back raking up NEP, EIA
Social media was abuzz with the opposition parties countering the pro-Hindu campaign of ‘Vel Pooja’ by treading hashtags, TNagainstNEP2020, ScrapEIA2020 and IndiaNotForSale.
BJP leaders, including its state president L Murugan were actively posting in the Twitter using hashtag Vel_Pooja that trended in the state for the most part of the day. To counter the BJP’s Hindutva politics in the state, CPM and its supporters launched a campaign against the Centre’s new National Education Policy.
CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan wrote: “Let us reject the education policy that does not talk about the denial of higher education opportunities to the Dalits, tribals, religious minorities and women and reservation.”
Environmental group Poovulagin Nanbargal trended hashtags ScrapEIA2020, WithdrawEIA2020 and IndiaNotForSale with various political leaders actively taking part. MMK leader Prof MH Jawahirullah stated, “The EIA draft allows post-facto clearance for such projects, thereby creating permanent damage to environment.”