Tamil Nadu: Muslim Bharatanatyam dancer Zakir Hussain denied entry to Srirangam temple, minister promises ‘neutral decision’ on temple entry

Tiruchirapalli: The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) department will take a neutral decision on allowing non-Hindus into the Temples in the State.

“We will consult legal experts and the chief priests of the temples on the practices followed for ages and after getting their opinion, it will be discussed with Chief Minister M.K.Stalin to take neutral decision,” HR and CE Minister P.K.Sekar Babu told newsmen after offering prayers at Sri Subramaniya Swamy Temple at Kumara Vayalur near here on Wednesday.

The Minister was replying to a query on renowned Bharatanatyam dancer A.Zakir Hussain being denied entry into the World-renowned Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple at Srirangam by an activist Rangarajan Narasimhan, who said that only Hindus are permitted to enter on December 10.

Mr.Babu said the HR and CE department welcomes good suggestions, but will not entertain any forces of separatism.

To a query, he said the department had not banned pujas in temples due to COVID-19 and action will be taken if in case of any such incident.

Stating that the posts of temple trustees were not filled in the past ten years, he said the government will fill the posts by next year. The department will form a committee under the guidance of Mr.Stalin, and after getting the report, the appointments will be made accordingly. (UNI)