Sultan files petition to close shops

Madurai: A person from Muslim faith from Kanyakumari has filed a petition in the Madurai Bench of Madras high court seeking to issue direction to the commissioner of Hindu religious and charitable endowment department to shut down commercial shops constructed inside ancient temples including the Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai.

Hence he requested the court to issue directions to the department not to modify the temple structure for commercial purpose and also to resort the modified structure to its original state.

"I was born as a Muslim, I understand the sentiments, feelings and emotions of fellow Hindu brethren. Modifying the historical and culturally important superstructure purpose is unjustifiable," said Abul Kalam Azad Sulthan said in the petition adding that the recent fire in the Meenakshi Amman temple had left the devotees distraught.

He said this incident is one of the awakening examples of the drawback in commercialising the temple premises. "For commercialising the temple premises, even the hundreds and thousands of years old superstructure are altered without considering the glory of culture, ancient history and tradition," he claimed.

Sulthan said that without following agamas and ancient style of construction, the commissioner of HR & CE department, and the executive officer of Meenakshi temple have altered the ancient building, putting additional structures and electrical equipment.