India, Dec. 5 -- The Lok Sabha on Friday saw a sharp face-off between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the controversy surrounding the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the Arulmigu Subramania Swamy temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

The uproar began after DMK MP TR Baalu made a contentious remark criticising a Madras high court judge who had allowed devotees to light the traditional lamp, a decision the Tamil Nadu government had opposed. Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju expressed strong objections, saying that the statement "amounts to casting aspersions on the judiciary".

Rijiju reminded the House that parliamentary debate must maintain decorum and adhere to rules. "In the hi...