Madras HC: Right To Religion Is No Greater Than Right To Life

Madras HC: right to religion is not greater than the right to life, it is necessary to follow the Covid-19 protocol.

The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to examine the public health and the possibility of religious rituals in temples only by following the protocol of Covid-19.

The court said that the right to religion is no greater than the right to life.

Madras HC: Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee remarked during the hearing on Thursday that if the government takes any step in the event of a global pandemic, we will not interfere.

He said verbally, “Right to religion is no greater than right to life.”

Chief Justice Banerjee and Justice Senthikumar Ramamurthy, who were on the first bench, gave directions to the government.

The bench said that the government should organize festivals and religious ceremonies in Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple in Trichurapalli district keeping in mind the protocol and public health of Covid-19.

Petitioner Rangarajan Narasimhan appealed for directions to the Hindu Religion and Charitable Department and said that festivals and religious rituals should be organized regularly in the ancient Srirangam temple.

On this, Chief Justice Banerjee recalled the decision of the Calcutta High Court that due to the global epidemic, there was talk of reducing the crowd on the festival of Durga Puja.

On this, senior advocate Satish Parasaran, appearing for the temple management, said that during the global epidemic many festivals were celebrated, but on different dates.

After this, the court ordered the state government to submit a detailed report in the case, and the case has been adjourned for hearing after six weeks.

On the other hand, Love Jihad i.e. the law prohibiting illegal conversion under the guise of marriage or temptation or pressure is now the test of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court will examine the legality of the laws prohibiting illegal conversion of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The court has issued notices to the state of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on petitions challenging the laws of both the states and sought reply in four weeks.

However, the apex court on Wednesday refused to impose an immediate moratorium on these laws.