The State unit president of Hindu Makkal Katchi, Arjun Sampath, against whom cases have been registered for conducting a puja in his house with weapons and guns and later posting it on the social media, today said that he was ready to fight the case legally.

“There is nothing wrong in performing a puja. I just followed tradition and culture. The rifle that was kept in puja belongs to my son, who is a member of the Coimbatore Rifle Club and the sword was presented to me by party members,” Sampath told reporters here.

However, one of the rifles kept in the puja belonged to a policeman providing security to Sampath. The police department has initiated an inquiry into it.

“Some vested interests are raking up the issue unnecessarily, since I wanted Ayudha Puja to be performed in government offices and police stations. Few organisations want to divert the issue as some Muslim youth were detained by NIA for questioning for their alleged links with IS,” Sampath added.