In a major blow to the Tamil Nadu BJP unit and to its bid to cover Hindu votes in the upcoming state assembly polls, the Tamil Nadu government has denied permission for the state BJP to go ahead with its 'Vetrivel Yatra', which the saffron party had planned to conduct it from November 6 to December 6 across the state by covering the six abodes (Aaru Padai Veedu) of Lord Murugan in Tamil Nadu. 

Though observing the alliance, the ruling ADMK government had shocked the BJP by rejected the permission for the saffron party to conduct its campaign, and the rejection has come at a high time when the state is fast approaching the assembly polls. Advocate General of Tamil Nadu Vijay Narayan had informed the Madras High Court on Thursday that the government had denied permission for the BJP to conduct its yatra. 

The government has cited the risk of a second wave of COVID-19 spread in the state for denying the permission and said that it's not an appropriate time for conducting the large scale gatherings in the state and the Advocate General had highlighted the restrictions imposed by the state and Central governments in the large gathering in the wake of the spread of the pandemic and the state government had also passed the order of banning the large gatherings in its recent guidelines. 

Following the statement from the government, the High Court bench comprised of Chief Justice AP Sahi and Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy had noted the statement and said that the state government can issue further orders on whether the Vetrivel Yatra can be permitted. The court had also dismissed two petitions after passing the order of letting the state government take a final call in the matter. Of these two petitions, one was filed for seeking permission to the yatra while the other had demanded to ban the campaign. 

During the hearing, the counsel representing BJP had argued that the Center had only advised social distancing and the party had highlighted the government's statement that the COVID-19 cases have been getting reduced in the state. The BJP counsel said that the party won't be staying in any place during the yatra and stated that it's not right to ban the yatra when the government has decided to resume the schools and colleges. 

Following the hearing, the High court bench said that the oral guarantee won't be sufficient and the state government has banned large gatherings of over 100 people till November 16. By noting the statement from the government, the high court had dismissed the petitions. According to reports, the government's decision of rejecting permission to BJP's yatra has come exactly one day ahead of its scheduled date of commencing the yatra. 

In a bid to cover the Hindu votes and to become an emerging power in the state as it claimed, the Tamil Nadu BJP unit has decided to conduct the Vetrivel Yatra, which would be a month-long campaign. As per the statement from the party, it has planned to begin the campaign on November 6 from Tiruttani to end the yatra on December 6 in Tiruchendur. During the course of the campaign, the party had planned to cover the six abodes of Lord Muruga in the state.

The BJP had said that yatra is its response to the Hate Hindu campaign carried out by the Dravidian parties. Ever since the party had announced the campaign, it has been facing major flak and objections from the opposition parties and the party has decided to end the campaign on the anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid. When the opposition parties had said that the entire campaign of BJP would stir communal tensions, the saffron party maintains its stand of conducting the yatra with the hope that it retains and enhances the Hindu vote bank. 

However, as the state government had denied permission for the yatra, the Tamil Nadu BJP said that it would consult with the Central leadership of the party and would initiate further proceedings, as the Central ruling party faces trouble from the ADMK government ahead of the polls. On the other hand, Tamil Nadu Minister and senior ADMK leader Jayakumar, while addressing the reporters on Thursday, said that the government has canceled the campaign owing to the COVID-19 outbreak and asked the party to understand the responsibility of the government in containing the spread and it would be better for them and for the party if it drops the campaign. The minister warned that the government would take action if anyone, including BJP, defies its order.