07-03-2007, 11:48 PM
In follow up to the above post 52:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>I will go to temple again: Defiant TN MLA</b>
Ramanathapuram, TN, June 27: A defiant Ramanathapuram Congress MLA Hasan Ali, whose visit to Sri Ramanathaswamy temple near here led to a purification exercise there, on Wednesday said he would visit the shrine again and again" and dared BJP or Hindu Munnani to stop him.
He told PTI here that his forefather Seethakathi Vallal a popular trader and philanthropist who was in the court of the Sethupathy King who ruled Ramanathapuram around 200 years ago, was a trustee of the temple and charged that BJP was acting as if it was only interested in the temple affairs.
He said he would go to the temple with a lot of people again. He said he had gone to the temple several times earlier from the age of 13. "I am not against Hindu temple or Hinduism. Why should I not go to the temple?" he said.
Authorities of the Sri Ramanathaswamy temple, 40 km from here, performed a cleaning and atonement pooja after Hasan Ali had entered it on Saturday last.
Meanwhile, BJP national executive member K Murali said when a system was there and non-Hindus were not allowed inside the temple, it should not be violated. He said Muslims and Hindus in Rameswaram are like family members but charged the MLA was trying to spoil this atmosphere.
Even in mosques, non-muslims are not allowed to sit on 'Nambir.'
"The Muslims, in fact organise boats for the float festival of Sri Ramanathaswamy temple and they also get honoured. But all that is done outside the temple."
He wanted the Congress high command to take action against "such divisive elements" in the party.
http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=88739
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>I will go to temple again: Defiant TN MLA</b>
Ramanathapuram, TN, June 27: A defiant Ramanathapuram Congress MLA Hasan Ali, whose visit to Sri Ramanathaswamy temple near here led to a purification exercise there, on Wednesday said he would visit the shrine again and again" and dared BJP or Hindu Munnani to stop him.
He told PTI here that his forefather Seethakathi Vallal a popular trader and philanthropist who was in the court of the Sethupathy King who ruled Ramanathapuram around 200 years ago, was a trustee of the temple and charged that BJP was acting as if it was only interested in the temple affairs.
He said he would go to the temple with a lot of people again. He said he had gone to the temple several times earlier from the age of 13. "I am not against Hindu temple or Hinduism. Why should I not go to the temple?" he said.
Authorities of the Sri Ramanathaswamy temple, 40 km from here, performed a cleaning and atonement pooja after Hasan Ali had entered it on Saturday last.
Meanwhile, BJP national executive member K Murali said when a system was there and non-Hindus were not allowed inside the temple, it should not be violated. He said Muslims and Hindus in Rameswaram are like family members but charged the MLA was trying to spoil this atmosphere.
Even in mosques, non-muslims are not allowed to sit on 'Nambir.'
"The Muslims, in fact organise boats for the float festival of Sri Ramanathaswamy temple and they also get honoured. But all that is done outside the temple."
He wanted the Congress high command to take action against "such divisive elements" in the party.
http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=88739
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