There was an argument between the OPS family and the DMK over who would light the Kartigai Deepam at the Kailasanath temple owned by the Hindu Welfare Department. After this, the DMK members left the place in shock and disappointment as raja Patra lit the Kartigai Deepam in the temple. The Kailasanathar temple is located on a hill in the Kailasapatti area near Periyakulam, Theni district. The temple was left in ruins and without maintenance for many years. After this, when OPS became a member of the Legislative assembly in 2002 and later became a minister and Chief minister, with the efforts of OPS and his family, the temple renovation work was carried out at their own expense, and roads were built to the temple so that devotees could visit it, and the temple was consecrated in 2012.
As a result, the families of OPS have been lighting the Karthigai Deepam for the past 14 years. Also, during the Karthigai festival of the temple, OPS used to provide all the basic facilities required by the temple at its own expense. Although under the control of the Hindu Religious Endowment Department, for the last 14 years only OPS and his family have been attending the Kartigai Deepam lighting ceremony and lighting the lamp. In this context, DMK's Theni North district Secretary Thanga Tamilselvan and Periyakulam assembly Member Saravanakumar submitted a petition to the officials of the Hindu Religious Charities Department that O. Panneerselvam and his family should not be allowed to light the lamp this year in this temple which is under the control of the Hindu Charities Department after the change of government. In this case, the OPS family was making all the necessary arrangements for the temple to light the Karthigai Deepam yesterday.
In this case, the DMK members had arranged to light the Karthigai Deepam with the temple executive officers of the Hindu Religious Charities Department from various parts of the Theni district. In this, the Executive Officer of Periyakulam Balasubramaniyar temple, Rama Thilakam, a female executive officer, was placed on stage by the DMK who lit Karthigai Deepam. At the same time, OPS's youngest son OP Jayaprateep and his family were also present at the event. At that time, the youngest son of OPS, Jayaprateep, was surrounded by DMK members including Thangathamishelvan and Periyakulam assembly members. Then there was a heated argument between Thangatami Selvan Jayapradeep and AIADMK member DMK.
DMK-OPS supporters clash:Meanwhile, there was a competition between the temple priest Karthigai with the lamp and the executive officer Karthigai with the fire band to light the lamp. Then when the temple priest Karthika was about to light the lamp, the Periyakulam assemblyman grabbed the priest's robe and pushed him back. Finally, the temple priest took the lamp held by OP Jaya pradeep and lit the Kartika Deepam. Enraged by this, Thanga Tamilchelvan, Periyakulam assembly member Saravanakumar, and DMK members got involved in an argument between the OPS party and then left the place in a rage. Later speaking to the people present there, Jayapradeep shouted furiously that the DMK was engaging in such activities for political reasons and that the people and god would take care of them. Following this, AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam came to the Kailasanathar temple and poured a jug of ghee in the pot where the Karthigai Deepam was lit and worshiped the Karthigai Deepam and then had darshan of Kailasanathar Sami. Due to this argument between the OPS family and the DMK during the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam, the Karthigai Deepam was lit late at 7 o'clock, causing inconvenience to the devotees.
click and follow Indiaherald WhatsApp channel