BJP workers light lamps in temple, despite bar on it

Defying a ban imposed as a safety measure, nearly 100 BJP workers, led by party's Tamil Nadu unit General Secretary, Vanathi Srinivasan, today lit individual lamps in a city temple.

The state government has barred devotees from lighting lamps in notified major temples in the aftermath of a fire incident in the famous Goddess Meenakshi temple in Madurai in February this year, gutting nearly 30 shops there.

Instead, it has said a big common lamp could be provided in the temples to enable the devotees pour oil into it.

In most temples, devotees bring clay lamps and leave them lighted in trays kept for the purpose at designated spots.

Protesting against the ban on this, BJP workers, including 25 women, went to Kottai Eswaran Temple in the evening and lit lamps, party sources said.

Vanathi told police personnel posted at the temple that the workers were going to defy the ban and light the lamps and they can arrest them if wanted.

However, police did not take any action, they said.

Even temple authorities did not raise any objection.

They said the government only wanted to ensure safety of the temple and also the devotees and that was why they were following the orders.