Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman accused Tamil Nadu government, led by chief minister MK Stalin, of banning live telecasts linked to the consecration ceremony of Ayodhya Ram Mandir on January 22, 2024.
Sitharaman took to the microblogging platform X and said, “Tamil Nadu government has banned watching live telecasts of Ayodha Ram Mandir programmes of January 22. In Tamil Nadu there are over 200 temples for Shri Ram. In HR and CE managed temples no puja, bhajan, prasadam or annadanam in the name of Shri Ram is allowed. Police are stopping privately held temples also from organising events. They are threatening organisers that they will rip off pandals.”
However, the state administration termed them as false and condemned Sitharaman for spreading ‘erroneous information’. “Strongly condemn the spreading of false information in an attempt to divert people’s attention from the DMK Youth Conference in Salem…It is unfortunate that people in office, like Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others, are purposefully propagating this erroneous information,” the state minister said in a social media post.
The state minister further added that the department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments had not put an imposition on the freedom of devotees when it came to offering food, conducting veneration in the name of Lord Shri Ram or providing offerings in the temples of the state.
The Pran Pratishta of Ram Lalla will take place on the morning of January 22. Last week, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issued an advisory to all news media – television, print, and digital media, including social media platforms, about publishing or broadcasting any content that may be false or manipulated and content that could disturb communal harmony or public order ahead of the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Social media platforms are also advised to not host or publish such content and act responsibly.
Read More: MIB issues media advisory: No room for false or disturbing content in Ram Mandir coverage