A criminal case was registered against Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, who has been attempting to emerge as Hindutva icon more than any other BJP leader in the South, for his alleged inflammatory speech at the Lord Murugan Devotees conference, held in June.
The case was also booked against former Tamil Nadu BJP chief and former IPS officer K Annamalai. The case, filed at the E3 Annanagar Police Station, cites violations of the Madras High Court’s restrictions on political and religious rhetoric during the high-profile spiritual event.
The complaint was filed by S Vanjinathan, an advocate and coordinator of the Madurai People’s Federation for Communal Harmony. He alleged that the speeches and resolutions presented at the event incited communal hostility and violated conditions laid down by the Madras High Court, which had permitted the event with strict limits on religious and political messaging.
The accused named include Kadeshwara Subramaniam, president of the Hindu Munnani, S Muthukumar, its state secretary and unidentified organising members of the RSS, BJP, Hindu Munnani, and allied Sangh Parivar groups.
Police officials quoted here said the speeches and cyber material at the event contained language that “incited hatred between groups on the basis of religion, race, and region” and “offended the religious sentiments” of other groups. The FIR also accuses public statements and conduct at the venue of being “designed to cause disharmony in the name of spiritual gathering.”
Held amid much fanfare on a stage flanked by replicas of the six sacred abodes (Arupadai Veedu) of Lord Murugan, the event had seen a massive turnout, with Hindu Munnani claiming over one lakh devotees in attendance. Though the Madras High Court had explicitly barred political content at the conference, several speakers, including Pawan Kalyan, made political remarks wrapped in a spiritual narrative.
Dressed in a green veshti traditionally worn by Murugan devotees, Pawan Kalyan took direct aim at what he termed “fake secularists” and atheists. “Secularism has become a shield for some to denigrate Hindu gods,” he said.
“I respect Christianity and Islam, but don’t disrespect Hindu Dharma.” He called Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar an “incarnation of Lord Murugan” and criticised political leaders for questioning why a Murugan conference was held in Tamil Nadu.
Former BJP state chief Annamalai, also named in the FIR, declared that the conference’s success showed that “people have chosen ‘Swami’ over ‘Nidhi’ — a veiled jab at political rivals. Although the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ally, AIADMK, officially remained silent on the event, four of its senior leaders, including RB Udhayakumar and Sellur K Raju, attended the conference.
