Chennai: The controversy over DMK working president M. K. Stalin's visit to Srirangam refuses to die down. And the latest to rake up the temple 'visit' is State Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar.
Taking a dig at the DMK leader, Mr. Jayakumar said, his dream to become Chief Minister, like the Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who also visited the shrine of Ranganathaswamy, enroute to the Vidhana Soudha (State Legislature of Karnataka), would not fructify. "It is the people who should decide who should become Chief Minister," the Minister said.
While political leaders visiting temples and seeking divine blessings is not uncommon, whenever Dravidian leaders, particularly of the Karunanidhi clan visit temples, several eyebrows are raised. In fact, BJP senior and Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan had taken strong objection to Mr. Stalin for insulting Goddess Ranganayaki and the Hindus.
Lashing out at DMK working president for "insulting and committing sacrilege" by wiping out the "Manjal Kappu" (turmeric paste) applied on his forehead by the Srirangam temple priests (on June 22), Mr Radhakrishnan said, "I don't know if it is right on Stalin's part to wipe off Goddess Ranganayaki's Manjal Kappu after allowing the temple priests to smear it on his forehead. If Stalin is an atheist as he claims, why should he accept the honour? Who gave Stalin permission to commit the sacrilege insulting the Goddess?" Mr Radhakrishnan also demanded an apology from the DMK leader.
"He can't become a Chief Minister if he visits Srirangam. It is people who elect their CM. But one should not practice double standards," Mr. Jayakumar told reporters here on Wednesday.
