Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin to skip Global Ayyappa Summit

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin declined an invitation to participate in the Travancore Devasom Board's Loga Ayyappa Sangamam (which translates into Global Ayyappa Summit) on September 20, citing prior commitments.

The Tamil Nadu government statement noted that Stalin's inability to attend the summit had been conveyed to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan. The summit is organised as a part of the Devasom board's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The Board manages the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple and the event is scheduled to be held on the banks of the holy Pamba river on September 20.

A statement, dated on August 25, from the Tamil Nadu government mentioned that Stalin would be deputing Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HRCE) Minister, PK Sekar Babu, and Information Technology and Digital Services Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan to represent him at the summit.

Stalin was invited to the summit last week through Kerala's Co-operation, Ports and Devasoms Minister V N Vasavan through a letter.

“I am not in a position to attend the Travancore Devaswom Board's platinum jubilee celebration due to pre-arranged events,” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister told his Kerala counterpart in a letter, according to an official release on Monday night.

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Kerala BJP objects to Stalin's presence

The invitation sparked a political debate in Kerala. Kerala BJP warned of protests if Stalin participated. Kerala BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar opposed the presence of Stalin.

He demanded that both Stalin and Vijayan apologise to Hindus, citing that both leaders, "over the years, have harmed and insulted Sabarimala, Ayappa bhakts and Hindu faith".

"Pinarayi Vijayan has imprisoned many ayyapa bhakts, cases against many more, inflicted police violence against ayyappa bhakts and done everything to violate and insult sacred traditions of Sabarimala," he wrote on social media platform X.

He further noted that "Stalin and his son have repeatedly insulted Hindus and referred to Hindu faith as a virus amongst other things," referring to Udhayanidhi Stalin's controversial speech over Sanatana Dharma in 2023.