A LED display reading “Allahu Akbar” atop a mosque in Pamban has sparked controversy just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Rameswaram on April 6. Allegations surfaced on social media that the mosque authorities were pressured into covering the board ahead of the Prime Minister’s arrival, but mosque officials have denied any such coercion.
According to the mosque’s managing body, jamath, they voluntarily covered the LED board briefly due to ongoing construction activity.
The jamath also informed that they recently received a notice from the police for not obtaining permission before the installation of the board. The notice issued on March 16 expressed concern about the light from the board being mistaken for a signal from the lighthouse, due to the mosque’s proximity to the seashore.
The mosque’s secretary Syed Mohammed told TNM that they had resolved the issue amicably with the police. “Following the summon notice, we spoke to the police officials and got permission to install the board, with the condition that the lights would not be used at night to avoid any navigation issues,” he clarified.
He also said that the LED board was covered with tarpaulin on April 3 for merely two hours due to construction work taking place atop the tower.
The incident has drawn attention as it coincides with Modi’s upcoming visit to the historic Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram on the occasion of Ram Navami. The Prime Minister’s visit also comes in the backdrop of political developments in Tamil Nadu, particularly after AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, fueling speculation about a renewed BJP-AIADMK alliance ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
It’s worth noting that the AIADMK was a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) until September 2023. The alliance was called off after AIADMK leaders accused the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit of targeting their leadership.