Madurai is set to witness the Meenakshi Amman Temple’s kumbhabhishekam on September 17, the first in 17 years, with large crowds expected and arrangements being coordinated by officials from multiple departments.
Amid the preparations, a message circulated within the Congress party inviting functionaries and cadres to attend a garlanding ceremony for E.V. Ramasamy (Periyar) at his statue near the Tallakulam outpost at 9:00 am. The notice said state president Manickam Tagore would pay floral tributes.
The call has reportedly upset sections of the party’s local leadership, who said the temple event is Madurai’s primary identity and that many Congress members, like other devotees, were planning to attend the religious ceremony.
They also argued that the party had not previously marked the birth or memorial days of leaders such as Periyar and C.N. Annadurai in Madurai, and questioned the timing of organising such a programme on the same day as the kumbhabhishekam.
Some leaders further said Periyar was known for positions opposed to spirituality, and urged the party not to enter what they described as avoidable controversies during a major religious occasion in the city.
