“Govt behaving in an atrociously high-handed manner: Vijayanagara Samrajya trustees ask Tamil Nadu govt to not interfere in Chidambaram Temple”, Opindia, June 29, 2023:

“On 29th June 2023, the managing trustees of the Titular Head of Vijayanagara Samrajya published a statement regarding the Chidambaram Temple Controversy. In this statement, they explained the history of the temple, the current controversy, and the offensive stand of the government. The statement also appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to take firm steps in the conservation of temples. The statement is as follows:

The recent controversy in the Chidambaram Sri Nataraja Temple has hurt the sentiments of Hindu devotees across the country. It is seen that the officials of the TN Government (like the HR&CE department, Police etc.) are behaving in an atrociously high-handed manner with the Thillai Dikshitars who are the hereditary owners of the temple.

We see that baseless allegations are being hurled against this ancient community of worshippers and their right to administer their temple is being hindered at every step. Already the community was tarnished by the government through various baseless allegations, their minor girls were subjected to inhuman ‘two-finger’ tests among other such targeted steps taken by the officials of the state…..”

Read the full article at Opindia.com