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Synopsis

The Madras High Court has granted permission to the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department to reopen the Dharmaraja Draupadi Amman temple (Draupadi Temple) in Melpathi, Villupuram district, for conducting routine pooja. However, to prevent any potential law and order issues, the court has barred devotees from entering the temple premises.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh, after carefully considering all submissions, recognised the importance of daily poojas in the temple stating that, “the Draupathiamman temple is in existence for a long time and daily poojas were regularly performed for the idol. This involves the sentiments / beliefs of the local villagers and therefore, the poojas not being performed for the idol has an impact on such sentiments of the local villagers.Therefore, this Court has to strike a via media for the present to ensure that the daily poojas are performed and at the same time no one is allowed to enter the temple or cause any law and order problem.”

According to the interim orders, the temple will only be accessible to the appointed priest for performing pooja rituals. Once the pooja is completed, the temple will be closed again until further notice. No other individuals will be permitted to enter the temple until the court issues new directives.

The court further directed the Villupuram Superintendent of Police (SP) to ensure an ample police presence to forestall any potential law and order disturbances.

Emphasising the necessity of taking strict action against anyone attempting to disrupt the peace, particularly with the Lok Sabha elections looming, the court said, “this Court has to ensure that no untoward incident or law and order problem is created in the light of opening the temple for conducting the pooja. If any such situation arises, it shall be brought to the notice of this Court and this Court will pass orders to continue with the present status quo by keeping the temple closed.”

This ruling was prompted by a petition filed by K Balu, the legal wing head of the PMK party. The temple had remained closed since June 2023 due to opposition against the entry of the scheduled caste community.

Tamil Nadu Advocate General PS Raman acknowledged the volatile situation in the area and stressed that the court should factor in the sentiments of the local populace in its decision-making process.

Further, the State Public Prosecutor, Hasan Mohammed Jinnah assured the court that, “at the time when the temple is opened for conducting the pooja, the police force will be present near the temple and no one will be permitted to enter the temple.”

The court also directed the Joint Commissioner of HR&CE, Villupuram District, to arrange for a Poojari to conduct the pooja at the temple, clarifying that the appointment of the interim Poojari would not affect the rights of the existing Poojari.

The next hearing for further orders on the batch of writ petitions pertaining to the instant case, is scheduled for June 10, 2024, along with several other related cases.