New Delhi: BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit chief L. Murugan was on Friday detained at Tiruttani near Chennai by police when he tried to embark on a statewide ‘Vel Yatra’ in spite of the state government refusing permission for it.Several other BJP workers were also reportedly detained.The yatra was scheduled to begin on Friday and go on till December 6, covering the six shrines of the deity Muruga across Tamil Nadu. Several opposition parties had objected to it in view of the health crisis.The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi party chief and Lok Sabha member Thol Thirumavalavan had petitioned the state police chief against it, alleging that it could lead to violence.Two petitions had also been filed in the Madras high court against the rally. Hours after the state government made a submission in the high court on the matter, Chief Minister K. Palaniswami said it was not “legally” possible to permit the yatra.Also read: From Kolkata to Shirdi, Temple-Goers Flout Social Distancing Norms on Ram Navami“Legally it cannot be permitted. The Central and state governments have come out with rules that rallies cannot be taken away,” he said in reference to COVID-19 protocols against large religious gatherings.The Tamil Nadu government of Palaniswami is run by BJP’s ally, the AIADMK.However, Murugan on Friday attempted to start the yatra in a custom made van from Tiruttani, amid chants of ‘Vetri vel’ and ‘Veera vel’.The saffron party’s state chief said the yatra would have ‘exposed’ the DMK, which was allegedly behind ‘Karuppar Kootam’, a YouTube channel that had reportedly denigrated the Kanda Sashti Kavacham, a spiritual hymn in praise of Lord Muruga.The ‘vel’ is a spear-like weapon used by Muruga.Tiruttani is 85 km from Chennai, close to the Andhra Pradesh border. The town is home to the Sri Subramanya Swami temple, one of the six sacred shrines or ‘padai veedu’ of Muruga.Murugan had also called on Union Minister of State for Home, G. Kishan Reddy, who had visited Tiruttani temple, at the latter’s hotel, before he was detained.BJP national general secretary C.T. Ravi, state leaders including Pon Radhakrishnan, C.P. Radhakrishnan and H. Raja were among those who had travelled to Tiruttani for the yatra. Raja, reportedly, had threatened statewide agitations if BJP was stopped from taking out this rally.CM Palaniswami has said that the Nilgiris district administration will act as it sees fit.(With PTI inputs)