TN college dean denies sending circular on puja amid row

Surya said though there “may be hundred differences” in the INDIA block of which DMK and Congress are key constituents, they are united in their “hatred and contempt for the indigenous culture”

Chennai: The dean of the Tiruppur Government Medical College Hospital in Tamil Nadu has dismissed BJP MP Tejasvi Surya’s post on social media regarding a purported college circular on not allowing portraits of gods during the Ayudha puja, calling it as “fake”.

The post on X, formerly Twitter, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya had alleged that the Tamil Nadu government has begun to target an “important cultural ritual” like the Congress government in Karnataka.

In the post on X, formerly Twitter, Surya had alleged that the Tamil Nadu government has begun to target an “important cultural ritual” like the Congress government in Karnataka.

“2 states. 2 GOs. One target - Ayudha Puja,” Surya posted on X on Friday. It escalated into a controversy after BJP leaders, such as union minister of state L Murugan and Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai, also joined Surya in their condemnation that the DMK-led government and the INDIA grouping are against Sanatana Dharma. A month ago, Tamil Nadu minister Udhyanidhi Stalin caused a nation-wide stir after he called for the eradication of Sanatana Dharma.

Surya said that though there “may be hundred differences” in the INDIA block of which DMK and Congress are key constituents, they are united in their “hatred and contempt for the indigenous culture”. He accused the two parties in power of having issued government orders prohibiting the use of flowers, kumkum, turmeric and other puja essentials at government offices during Ayudha Puja. “For years, all government offices and employees in southern India observe Ayudha Puja with great fervour. The alliance has now set its target on this important cultural ritual,” Surya said.

“No such circular has been issued by the Tirupur government hospital and its branches” said the dean R Murugesan in a statement. “False messages are being circulated on social media. This is untrue.”