After Durga Stalin’s Temple Parikrama, Debate Rages On Secularism Vs Rights Of Hindus

It’s a known fact that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is overtly and avowedly an Atheist, the lynchpin of Dravidian philosophy. But his wife Durga is too deeply involved in religious beliefs and rituals. One can say, she is an empowered woman and her husband, an enlightened liberal. Just a couple of days back Durga undertook a three-temple vow to fulfill Parikrama. She walked the two odd kilometres from the toll gate to the famous Sakthi Peetam, Samayapuram Mariamman Temple in Tiruchy, as her wish to see Stalin become CM was fulfilled. The past week, her temple visits have been media highlights. When K Annamalai, the TN BJP president protested that Hindu temples were kept shut for three days every week citing Corona, the challenging sentiment spread. BJP leaders H Raja and PonRadhakrishnan took up the vanguard of dissent in Srivilliputhur and other temples. Rightly so. Starting from the holy month of Aadi (Jul 17-Aug 16), this sacred period of temple visits and worship has been affected. So is Corona a selective excuse to reign in Hindu religion? For years, Indians have witnessed selective and exploitative secularism, when the Congress interpreted Secularism to suit its vote bank politics. This wheel of discrimination is turning again, where Dravidian philosophy edges out Hindu culture. Equality before law is much akin to the elephant interpreted by blind men.