SC directs Centre to file an affidavit regarding cancellation of ‘Places of Worship Act, 1991’

SC bans filing of new petitions in this regard till the hearing continues

Supreme Court

New Delhi – During a hearing on the petitions for the cancellation of the ‘Places of Worship Act, 1991’, the Supreme Court gave four weeks’ time to the Union Government for filing an affidavit. The Court has also ruled that no new case would be registered regarding the places of worship across the country till the hearing of this case goes on.

The petitions have been filed by Communist Party of India (Marxists), Indian Muslim League, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), MP Manoj Jha of Rashtriya Janata Dal, BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy, Kathavachak Devakinandan Thakur and Adv. Ashwini Upadhyay.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has filed a petition against these petitions claiming that there would be a flood of cases against mosques in the country, if petitions against this law were heard. (What about the flood of attacks by Muslim invaders on temples ? Does the Jamiat feel it was correct ? – Editor) Muslim Personal Law Board and Anjuman Mosque Management Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi Mosque, have also requested dismissal of these petitions. (When Muslims and their organisations are denying the truth about the attacks on Hindu temples by Muslim invaders and their subsequent conversion into mosques, and on the contrary, are claiming their rights over those temples, can brotherhood ever be established between Hindus and Muslims in this country ? Hindus have been kept intoxicated with this false brotherhood narrative till now and nurture suicidal tendencies. Now Hindus have awakened and will get their temples back. – Editor)

Objectionable Articles in ‘Places of Worship Act 1991’

1.     Under Article 25 of the Constitution, all citizens and non-citizens in this country have equal right to follow their religion, have faith in it and propagate it. The petitions claim that this right has been taken away from Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs.

2.     Under Article 26 of the Constitution, every religious community has a right to look after and manage its places of worship and religious places. It has been stated in the petition that this right deprives people from acquiring / owning religious property; therefore, the right to retrieve the property and visit their places of worship, religious places and Deities has also been taken away.

3.     Under Article 29 of the Constitution, all citizens have a right to preserve and conserve their language, script and culture. This law, however, deprives the communities of the right to get back their places of worship and religious places related to their cultural legacy.