The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the State Information Commission (SIC) to dispose of, within eight weeks, a second appeal for a direction to the public information officer (PIO) at the Raj Bhavan to disclose information on the Santana Dharma on the ground that it was being propagated by Governor R.N. Ravi.
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Justice M. Dhandapani issued the direction following a writ petition filed by advocate S. Doraisamy, 78, who was also the vice-president of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam. The petitioner had claimed that his second appeal under the Right to Information (RTI) Act had been pending with the SIC since February 6 this year.
V. Elangovan, counsel for the petitioner, told the court that the Governor had claimed at a few public events that Indian culture was rooted in spirituality and the Sanatana Dharma. However, the petitioner, a follower of rationalist Thanthai Periyar, was unable to lay his hands on any Tamil literary text that could explain the Santana Dharma.
Hence, he made an application to the Raj Bhavan PIO on August 19, 2022, for answers to 18 questions, which included: “What are the principles of Sanatana Dharma? Who founded/authored it? Whether it is followed in Pakistan, Afghanistan or in any other country? Who is a Hindu? Whether the word finds a place in ancient Tamil literature?”
The RTI applicant also wanted to know: “Who created the Sadhur Varna Dharma in Hindu religion? Why Sadhur Varna Dharma is not followed by other religions?” Complaining that the PIO gave an evasive reply to the RTI application on September 18, 2022, the petitioner said that he, therefore, moved a first appeal and then followed it up with a second appeal before the SIC.