Coimbatore : Hindu leader Arjun Sampath arrested for protesting against destruction of temples

Hindu activist and Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK) Chief Arjun Sampath was arrested in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, for protesting against the Coimbatore Corporation and the Tamil Nadu government against the demolition of the Hindu temples on the banks of Muthannankulam pond in the city recently.

On Friday, Indu Makkal Katchi took to Twitter to say that Tamil Nadu police arrested Arjun Sampath for protesting against Coimbatore civic body for carrying out a demolition drive against seven Hindu temples including the Angalamman temple along the Muthanankulam bund in the city.

கோவை முத்தன்ன குளம் ஓரத்தில் இருந்த அங்காளம்மன் கோவிலை இடித்த தமிழக அரசையும் கோவை மாநகராட்சியை கண்டித்து இந்து மக்கள் கட்சி தமிழகம் சார்பில் தலைவர் தமிழ் திரு.அர்ஜூன் சம்பத் அவர்கள் தலமையில் ஆர்ப்பாட்டம் செய்த போது கைது செய்தது கோவை மாநகர காவல்துறை

வண்மையாக கண்டிக்கின்றோம். pic.twitter.com/EzLhRIEEDI

— Indu Makkal Katchi (Offl) 🇮🇳 (@Indumakalktchi) July 23, 2021

In a tweet, IMK said that Arjun Sampath was peacefully protesting against the temple demolition site, and he was arrested by Coimbatore Police. They also demanded the immediate release of the IMK leader and urged Coimbatore Corporation to rebuild the temple where it was destroyed.

தமிழக காவல்துறையை கண்டிக்கின்றோம் …விடுதலை செய் விடுதலை செய் எங்கள் தமிழ்திரு அர்ஜீன் சம்பத் ஜி அவர்களை விடுதலை செய் …….இன்று கைது

இடிக்கபட்ட ஆலையம் அதே இடத்தில் அமைய வலியுறுத்தி இன்று மக்கள் போராட்டம் இந்து மக்கள் கட்சி தமிழகம் சார்பில் வந்தே மாதிரம்….🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/xJWS1sgWeM

— Indu Makkal Katchi (Offl) 🇮🇳 (@Indumakalktchi) July 23, 2021

Earlier this week, IMK Chief Arjun Sampath had requested Hindu devotees to assemble outside the demolished temple premises on July 23rd as a mark of protest. He had said worship and Parikara Puja would be done at the site of the temple demolition site on Friday.

Source : OpIndia

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Hindu groups intensify protests against the demolition of seven temples in Coimbatore

July 17, 2021

Days after the Coimbatore city corporation demolished seven Hindu temples on the lake bund of Muthannankulam, several devotees, Hindu activists, took to the streets of Coimbatore to protests against the demolition drive of Hindu temples.

According to the reports, Hindu activists members of Hindu Munnani protested outside the corporation office at Town Hall in Coimbatore on Friday to condemn the civic body for the demolition drive.

On Tuesday, the Coimbatore City Corporation had demolished seven temples, including a 100-year-old temple, along the Muthanankulam bund in the city. The corporation had claimed that the temples were built on the encroached land along the northern bund of the tank.

Condemning the demolition, Hindu Munnani state president Kadeswara Subramaniam said, “When P V Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, an Act was passed in Parliament prohibiting demolition of temples older than 75 years. But the Coimbatore corporation demolished temples that were centuries-old. We strongly condemn the demolition”.

#Photostory
Hindu Munnani protests besieging Corporation office against demolition of temples in encroached areas in Muthannankulam.#Venue: Townhall, Coimbatore pic.twitter.com/fITqV7klhx

— SimpliCityCoimbatore (@simplicitycbe) July 16, 2021

The Hindu activist also added that several government offices, including the Tirupur collector’s office, are on temple lands, hence those buildings should be removed from the lands.

“The Hindu religious and charitable endowment (HR&CE) minister has been saying that the department will retrieve temple lands and protect temples. He should reveal information regarding,” Subramaniam said.

Hindu Munnai state secretary JS Kishorekumar accused the Coimbatore corporation of deliberately targeting temples in the name of removing encroachments and claimed that temples as old as 150 years old were demolished in the city.

Earlier, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) had also condemned the demolition of temples and protested in Gandhi Park in Coimbatore.

Demolition drive of temples in Coimbatore

On Tuesday, several Coimbatore civic body officials landed near Muthanankulam bund to carry out demolition drives of seven temples. In the presence of officials, earthmovers demolished Amman Kovil, Bannari Amman Kovil, Angala Parameswari, Karupparayan Kovil, Muneeswaran Kovil and a few other temples.

Six of the remaining idols present inside these temples were given away to the public, while officials took away one idol to keep at the corporation office. Last year, the corporation had also moved nearly 2,400 families from the tank bund after demolishing their houses, citing encroachment of the lake.

https://twitter.com/Alter_Ego45/status/1415560569659158534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1415560569659158534%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.opindia.com%2F2021%2F07%2Ftamil-nadu-hindu-groups-protests-against-demolition-seven-temples-coimbatore%2F

They were provided with alternative housing by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board.

The demolition of seven temples, especially a 100-year-old, had fueled massive outrage on social media platforms. Netizens had accused MK Stalin-led DMK government of attacking century-old Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu.

Source : OpIndia