Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cadre staged demonstrations in Tiruchi and Thanjavur on Thursday demanding the State government to open the temples on all seven days of the week to enable devotees offer prayers.
Around 400 BJP functionaries were arrested in Thanjavur after they staged the demonstration despite ae prohibition by the police. Around 500 party members assembled near Rajagopuram of the Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple at Srirangam and raised slogans, demanding the State government to open the temples on all days.
They wanted the State government to withdraw the present system of keeping the temples shut for devotees on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, citing COVID-19 pandemic and condemned the DMK government for this move. They demanded the State government to keep the temples open for devotees during festivals and auspicious days as well. The demonstration at Srirangam was led by the party's urban district president, Rajesh Kumar, in which the party's State general secretary, Rama. Srinivasan, participated.
Police sources said that cadre from the delta districts participated in the demonstration in Thanjavur that was led by the party's State vice-president M. Muruganandham. The arrested cadre were later released.
