Madras HC orders no restrictions to live telecast of Ram Mandir's 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony

The Madras High Court has ordered that there shall be no restrictions to telecast the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Mandir live on private premises, said Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai on Monday. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court ordered that based on oral orders, the fundamental rights of individuals cannot be restricted by the state government of Tamil Nadu. 

Also read: After DMK denies puja ban in TN, BJP's Annamalai shares screenshots: 'Disapprove this, will submit entire sequence'

"Devotees of Bhagwan Shri Ram are free to telecast the consecration event live on an LED screen within any private premises and to give intimation only to HR&CE-administered temples," he said in a video message. "There is no ban on conducting Bhajans, offering special pooja or Annadhana."

On Sunday, Annamalai and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Tamil Nadu Police had given oral instructions, asking temples not to organise special puja on the occasion of the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. 

Annamalai also shared screenshots of what he called were instructions from Additional DGP to SPs, asking them to ensure no special puja is held by temples on January 22.  "Below are the screenshots of instructions passed on by ADGP L&O to his SPs instructing to obstruct the celebration of the Pran Pratishtha across TN." 

"TN has become a draconian state under the DMK Government, and Thiru @mkstalin’s actions are synonymous with the actions of the Tyrant Joseph Stalin. I challenge the TN Govt to disapprove the below screenshots & to file an FIR on me & I will submit the entire sequence of conversations to the court," the BJP leader said.