TN targeting a particular community: Union minister

“We are not opposed to what he wants to express, but he cannot use unparliamentary language. This will lead to unnecessary trouble – not only for you, but for your party as well,” Rijiju added. While Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was in the chair, allowed Union Minister L Murugan from the treasury benches to intervene and reply, opposition members rose in protest against the decision.

Murugan accused the state government of denying devotees the right to worship at the Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Temple. “The state government is targeting a particular community and law and order of that region is being vitiated,” he alleged.

He claimed TN police had arrested devotees, who were proceeding to the temple to light the deepam as per the HC orders. “The TN BJP president too has been arrested,” he said. As he was speaking, some DMK members walked up to Rijiju’s seat, prompting the chair to ask the protesting members to confine themselves to the Well.

Although the chair said Baalu’s remark would be removed from the record, the latter argued that the judge had “himself acknowledged an association with the organisation”.