Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha: Tamil Daily Dinamalar's Editor, Publisher Booked For News Report 'Promoting Enmity'

The Tamil Nadu police have booked editor and publisher of Tamil daily Dinamalar for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups.

This comes in response to a news report they published, which alleged that oral orders had been issued to not allow special darshan and  annadanam in Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) temples on the day of pran pratishtha of Ram temple in Ayodhya on 22 January.

The case has been registered by SS Colony police in Madurai based on a complaint lodged by an official of HR and CE Department, The Hindu reported citing sources.

The editor and publisher have been booked under section 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), and section 505 (ii) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes - whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement or report containing rumour or alarming news with intent to create or promote, or which is likely to create or promote, on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground - of Indian Penal Code.

The news report in question reportedly said that Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman had condemned the Tamil Nadu Government for ‘banning’ watching live telecast of Ram temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony, banning puja, bhajan and annadanam in the temples in the name of Lord Ram.

In response to these allegations, HR and CE Minister P K Sekarbabu refuted the claim that the Department had issued any such directives to temples in Tamil Nadu.

Following these events, the Supreme Court on Monday had said that police and State authorities were not bound to act on any “oral orders” to ban the live telecast and puja.