TIRUCHENDUR
Police arrested BJP’s Nagercoil MLA M.R. Gandhi and 97 others when they attempted to observe a fast demanding permission for full-fledged Dasara celebration at Sri Mutharamman Temple in Kulasekarapattinam near here, which attracts a large number of devotees every year.
Owing to COVID-19 last year, Thoothukudi district administration banned full-fledged Dasara celebrations at the Temple while allowing the devotees in small groups to enter the shrine to offer prayers. However, the devotees were not allowed to participate in the flag-hoisting ceremony and also in the ‘Soorasamhaaram’, the culmination of the 10-day celebrations.
Though the number of fresh COVID-19 cases has come down drastically while comparing with last year’s numbers, the district administration has planned to impose similar restrictions this year also as the new cases are gradually going up after showing downward trend over the past two months.
Rejecting it, the BJP and Dasara celebration groups had announced that they would organise the fast at Kulasekarapattinam on September 21 as the flag-hoisting will be held on October 6.
When the BJP cadre, led by Mr. Gandhi, started gathering at the protest venue on Tuesday, Superintendent of Police S. Jayakumar and Tiruchendur ASP Harsh Singh held talks with them and appealed to them to give up the agitation in the best interest of the public.
However, the BJP cadre started the fast but were arrested. They were taken to a private marriage hall and released later.
