Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday delivered an unequivocal message that the protracted Karthigai Deepam lamp-lighting dispute at Thiruparankundram hillock in Madurai will be decisively resolved within Tamil Nadu itself, through the awakened organisational strength and unity of the state’s Hindu population, rendering any immediate national-level intervention by the Sangh unnecessary.

Speaking at the concluding session of the RSS centenary celebrations in Tiruchirappalli, Bhagwat directly addressed a pointed question from the audience on whether the Sangh headquarters would escalate the issue to the national stage, especially after the DMK government challenged the Madras High Court’s pro-devotee order in the Supreme Court. Maintaining that the matter remains sub-judice, he reiterated trust in the ongoing efforts of local Hindu organisations and temple protection forums already active on the ground.

“The issue can be resolved here only on the basis of Hindus’ strength in Tamil Nadu. We will not need to escalate it at present,” Bhagwat declared before a gathering of thousands, adding that if local bodies ever deem national support indispensable, they would formally communicate the requirement. Yet he left no room for ambiguity by stating that one outcome is “pakka” – absolutely certain – that the centuries-old Hindu tradition of lighting the Karthigai Deepam on the ancient Deepathoon stone pillar will ultimately prevail.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi: Idea Of Equal India Disturbs RSS, They Want Hierarchy

The controversy revolves around the traditional practice of igniting the sacred lamp on a historic pillar located on Thiruparankundram hillock, adjacent to a dargah. The Madras High Court had ruled in favour of devotees of Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple, directing authorities to permit the ritual. In response, the DMK government rushed to the Supreme Court while its alliance partners submitted an impeachment notice against Justice G R Swaminathan, accusing him of bias – a move that has further polarised the state along religious and political lines.

Bhagwat’s carefully calibrated statement achieves multiple objectives: it signals complete confidence in Tamil Nadu’s robust network of Hindu organisations, discourages premature national mobilisation that could be portrayed as external interference, and simultaneously serves as a powerful morale booster to local activists. By framing the resolution as inevitable through Hindu unity rather than legal or political manoeuvring alone, the RSS chief has effectively transformed a localised temple dispute into a larger narrative of cultural resurgence across the Dravidian heartland.

Also Read: Mohan Bhagwat Says World Now Listens to PM Modi as India’s Global Rise Accelerates