The Supreme Court on Monday issued a directive to the Tamil Nadu government, instructing them not to summarily reject requests for the live streaming of the consecration ceremony (‘pran pratishtha’) of Lord Ram Lalla in the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. This action was taken in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that the state had imposed a ban on such live streaming requests.
The court said that denying permission solely based on the presence of other communities in the vicinity is not justified. Additionally, theApex court has instructed the state to keep a record of the applications received and the corresponding decisions made.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government informed the court that there is no prohibition on org.sing screenings of the ceremony or conducting special poojas or bhajans for the occasion.
This development occurred following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) urgent appeal to the Supreme Court on Monday, seeking a prompt hearing against the alleged directive by the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government, which reportedly prohibited the live telecast of Lord Ram Lalla’s consecration ceremony at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya on Monday, specifically in temples and other public spaces.
The petition, filed by Advocate G Balaji on behalf of Vinoj P Selvam, who is the state unit secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is representing the party’s stance.
“It is respectfully submitted that State Government run by DMK political party has banned live telecast of the auspicious occasion of ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Lord Ram at Ayodhya in all the temples across the state of Tamil Nadu,” the plea claimed.
“The government has also banned all kinds of poojas, Archana and Annadanam (poor feeding) bhajans on this auspicious occasion. Such arbitrary exercise of power by the State Government (through police officials) per se violates fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution,” it added.
Annamalai reacts
Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai welcomed the court’s intervention while posting a video on his X handle.
“The Hon Madras High Court has ordered that there shall be no restrictions to telecast the Pran Pratishtha live on private premises. The Supreme Court has ordered that based on oral orders, fundamental rights of individuals cannot be restricted by the State govt of TN. Devotees of Bhagwan Shri Ram are free to telecast the consecration event live on an LED screen within any private premises & to give intimation only to HR&CE-administered temples. There is no ban on conducting Bhajans, offering special pooja or Annadhana,” Annamalai wrote.
FM Sitharaman had raised the issue
Yesterday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserted that numerous reports suggested that the state government led by MK Stalin had imposed a prohibition on the live broadcast of the consecration ceremony (‘pran-pratishtha’) of Lord Ram Lalla at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, scheduled to occur today.
