Deepathoon row: Opposition, led by DMK, submit notice to Lok Sabha Speaker for moving motion to remove Madras HC judge

Several opposition MPs, led by the DMK, on Tuesday submitted a notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to move a motion for the removal of Madras High Court judge GR Swaminathan whose order directing Subramaniya Swamy temple authorities to ensure that a lamp is lit at the deepathoon (pillar) sparked a row.

On December 1, a single judge bench of Justice Swaminathan had held that the Arulmighu Subramania Swamy temple was duty-bound to light the lamp at the deepathoon. The stone lamp pillar is located on the Thiruparankundram hillock in vicinity of the dargah.

It had said that doing so would not encroach upon the rights of the adjacent dargah or the Muslim community. When the order remained unimplemented, the single judge passed another order on December 3 permitting devotees themselves to light the lamp and directed the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to ensure their protection. This led the DMK-led state government to move to the top court.

DMK parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi, the party's Lok Sabha leader TR Baalu, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra handed the notice with over 100 signatures for moving a motion for the removal of the judge.