The Madras High Court Bench here on Friday directed the government not to give permission for demonstrations, rallies and other forms of protest by any religious organisation on December 6, the day when the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was razed down 23 years ago, from 2016.
Justice S. Vaidyanathan passed the order while disposing of a writ petition filed by an office-bearer of the Hindu Munnani seeking permission to hold a demonstration in Dindigul on December 6 demanding construction of a Ram temple at the site from where the 16th century mosque was demolished in 1992.
‘Will not fetch any
fruitful result’
Finding no justification in the plea made by the petitioner organisation, the judge said the agitation would not fetch any fruitful result but for satisfying its ego.
He stressed that the need of the hour was to strengthen brotherhood “especially between Muslims and Hindus.”
However, since the Dindigul police had already granted permission to two Muslim organisations — Popular Front of India and Indian National League — to hold demonstrations condemning the demolition of Babri Masjid on December 6, the judge directed the officials to consider petitioner’s plea too.
“In the event of the respondents declining the request of the petitioner, they must record reasons and grounds for such rejection and in the said order, they should also justify their stand for having granted permission to two other organisations,” Mr. Justice Vaidyanathan said.
He directed the police to record on video the demonstration of the two Muslim organisations and ordered the Home Secretary and Director General of Police to issue a circular, within a month, instructing all their subordinates not to grant permission for demonstrations and rallies on December 6 from 2016.
Though only the Dindigul Superintendent of Police and his subordinate officials had been included as respondents to the writ petition, the judge directed the High Court Registry to mark a copy of his order to the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and the DGP.
‘Inhumane and
merciless’
The judge also came down heavily on the petitioner organisation for insisting on use of loud speakers for their agitation by stating that it was an “inhumane and merciless” request which was bound to affect students preparing for examinations and elderly people suffering from ailments.
“It appears that the petitioner is interested only in publicity. He should realise that the noise of Aarathi in temples, Namaaz in mosques and prayers in churches are heard only by the devotees and not the God for He hears only the inner voice that comes from the core of His worshippers’ hearts,” he said.
‘The need of the hour is to strengthen brotherhood between Muslims and Hindus’
