Madurai, Dec. 13 -- The villagers of Thiruparankundram participated in a hunger strike in Madurai on Saturday, seeking lighting of a deepam atop the hilltop lamp pillar.

The residents of the area also raised Lord Murugan flags at their homes in solidarity.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Anurag Thakur slammed the DMK government in Tamil Nadu over the Madurai Karthigai Deepam row, calling the state a "symbol of anti-Sanatan Dharma."

Speaking during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Anurag Thakur alleged a lathi-charge by the DMK government against the devotees protesting to light the lamp atop the hill.

He said, "I want to raise a very important issue where one state in India has become a symbol of anti-Sanatan Dharma. Their ministers are making statements ag...