BJP slams TN govt's 'great betrayal' over Delhi representative pick

BJP's Nainar Nagendran slammed the TN govt's appointment of a Karnataka native as Delhi rep, calling it a 'betrayal'. BJP's CR Kesavan also attacked the TVK govt over the Karthigai lamp row, alleging disrespect for Hindu sentiments.

BJP Slams 'Betrayal' Over Delhi Representative

BJP Tamil Nadu State President Nainar Nagendran on Friday criticised the TVK-led Tamil Nadu government for appointing Venkat Narayana as the Tamil Nadu government's special Representative to Delhi, terming it as the 'great betrayal' towards the people of the state.

"... Appointing Venkat Narayana, who hails from Karnataka, as the Tamil Nadu government's Delhi Special Representative is unjustified and a 'great betrayal' of the people of Tamil Nadu. How Tamil Nadu's interests would be safeguarded if a person from Karnataka represented the state in New Delhi," Nagendran told reporters.

Nagendran's remarks came after the Tamil Nadu government appointed Vijay-starrer Jana Nayagan movie producer and businessman Venkat Narayana K as a special representative of the Tamil Nadu government in New Delhi.

TVK Govt Accused of Disrespecting Hindu Sentiments

Earlier, BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan launched a sharp attack on the Tamil Nadu-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government, alleging that it is "mirroring" the previous DMK regime in allegedly disrespecting Hindu sentiments.

Speaking to ANI, Kesavan said the TVK-led coalition government headed by actor-politician Vijay was "nothing but a rehashed duplicate" of the earlier DMK government when it comes to religious issues. "The TVK coalition government headed by Vijay seems to be nothing but a rehashed duplicate of the previous DMK government when it comes to disrespecting the sentiments of crores of Hindu devotees and preventing them from following their Dharma... This decision exposes how this TVK government is peddling the prejudiced politics of polarisation and bigoted religious appeasement. What better can you expect of a coalition government with Congress as the main partner? Everybody knows that Congress, headed by Rahul Gandhi, is prejudiced and harbours an anti-Hindu mindset," Kesavan alleged.

The Karthigai Lamp Controversy

The remarks came after the TVK had moved the Supreme Court against the Madras High Court's decision to allow lighting of the Karthigai lamp atop a pillar, Deepathoon, at Thiruparankundram Hills in Madurai.

In January 2026, a Division bench of the Justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan of the Madras HC had upheld a single judge decision passed by Justice GR Swaminathan permitting the lighting of the Kirthigai lamp at 'Deepathoon' (stone pillar).

The case had sparked a political row with the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, which opposed the Madras High Court's decision. The controversy arose with the presence of a Subramaniya Swamy Temple, one of the six sacred Arupadai Veedu abodes of Lord Murugan, and the Sikandar Badusha Avuliya Dargah.

The Supreme Court had declined to interfere with the Madras High Court's October 2025 judgment. Upholding the High Court's ruling, the apex court held that Muslims are entitled to offer prayers at the Sikandar Badusha Avuliya Dargah only on the occasions of Ramzan and Bakri-Id, and not daily. The court also affirmed the prohibition on animal sacrifice within the Dargah premises. (ANI)

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