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A formal complaint has been filed with the Madurai Police Commissioner seeking legal action against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K Annamalai and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, as well as other BJP and Sangh Parivar affiliates, for allegedly delivering hate speeches and inciting communal tension during the Hindu Munnani-organised Murugan Maanadu held in the city on June 22.
The complaint, filed by the Madurai social harmony group, also names several Sangh Parivar functionaries and accuses them of violating court orders and spreading religious hatred in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections.
The complaint states that the speeches made during the conference was a violation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 192, 196, 352, and 353, which relate to inciting riots, promoting religious enmity, insulting to provoke breach of peace, and circulating statements likely to incite violence.
According to the complaint, speeches made at the rally, including by Pawan Kalyan, Annamalai, and other Sangh Parivar figures, promoted communal hatred and were in direct violation of a High Court order, that allowed the rally on the condition that it would remain apolitical and uphold communal harmony.
Despite this, speakers made provocative statements, with Kalyan declaring, “Islam is foreign, Christianity is foreign, and by 2055, their population will overtake. We must bulldoze this with decisive Hindu action.” Annamalai reportedly took veiled digs at the DMK and lauded “Hindu unity” in opposition to “atheistic forces.”
The complaint also flagged resolutions passed at the rally urging Hindus to “reclaim the hills,” “boycott anti-Hindu political parties,” and “recite Kanda Sashti Kavasam to drive out atheists.
The June 22 Murugan Devotees Conference passed six resolutions that mirrored the themes raised in the speeches, including a call to boycott "anti-Hindu" politicians like Udhayanidhi Stalin, Thirumavalavan, and Ponmudi, accusing them of mocking Hindu traditions. One resolution demanded the enforcement of a 1994 court order allowing the lighting of Karthigai Deepam atop Tirupparankundram hill, a flashpoint in the ongoing communal dispute. Another resolution praised the "Operation Sindoor," a military-style retaliation by India against Pakistan, portraying it as a victory for Hindu dignity and national strength.
The resolutions also accused Islamic organisations of falsely claiming ownership of the hill and called for reciting “Kanda Sashti Kavasam” across temples to spiritually unite Hindus. The conference condemned the commercialisation of temples and demanded that HR&CE funds be used solely for temple upkeep and devotee services.
The June 22 event had drawn lakhs from across Tamil Nadu and was positioned as the culmination of months-long agitations over control of the Thirupparankundram hill, which houses both the Subramaniya Swamy temple and a centuries-old dargah. Right-wing groups including Hindu Munnani and BJP have sought exclusive religious control over the site, describing the campaign as the “Ayodhya struggle of the South.”
The interfaith coalition warned that the speeches were “crafted with malicious intent” to stoke tensions between Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. They invoked multiple legal precedents, which obligates the police to register FIRs in cases involving cognizable offences.
A prior complaint had also been submitted to the Madurai district administration on June 16, ahead of the rally, citing fears of potential violence. However, the event proceeded with top Sangh and BJP leaders addressing the crowd and invoking Hindu supremacy.
The June 22 rally came in the backdrop of rising communal polarisation around Thirupparankundram hill. In February 2025, controversy erupted over animal sacrifices at the dargah and claims that the site was being renamed “Sikandar Malai.” The matter escalated with BJP’s Annamalai accusing Muslim leaders of provoking Hindus, a claim denied by the local Muslim community, which pointed to longstanding traditions of coexistence on the hill.
Historical records, including a 1931 Privy Council judgment and a 1978 Madurai court ruling, confirm the shared legal ownership of the hill between the Hindu temple and the Muslim dargah. Despite this, Sangh-affiliated groups have been accused of spreading false claims and rewriting history to further communal divisions.
The complainants urged authorities to invoke not only relevant sections of the BNS but also the National Security Act, citing the threat posed to Tamil Nadu’s public order and unity. The police are yet to register an FIR in the matter.