The Supreme Court on Tuesday had a tough question for the chief priest of the Sabarimala temple, asking him if the Constitution should not come to the rescue of a believer who is not allowed to touch the deity. The top court's remarks came after the chief priest said that the devotee's worship cannot be in antagonism to the deity's characteristics.
The nine-judge Constitution bench is hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, and on the ambit and scope of the religious freedom practised by multiple faiths. The bench comprises Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices BV Nagarathna, MM Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan, and Joymalya Bagchi.
Appearing for the 'thantri', senior advocate V Giri submitted that the nature of ceremonies and rituals followed in any temple forms the integral part of the religion and therefore is a religious practice.
He said continuance of such practice, which is an essential religious practice, would be a part of the right to worship that is for every member who believes in the religion or religious denomination.
"When a devotee goes to a temple for worship, it can't be in antagonism to the characteristics of a deity because its for the purpose of worshipping the deity. The devotee surrenders to the divine spirit contained in the deity. He/she has to accept the essential characteristics of the deity," Giri said.
Posing a question, Justice Amanullah asked, "When I go to a temple, my fundamental belief is that he is the Lord, he is my creator, he has created me, right? I go there with one hundred percent belief. I am totally devoted, absolutely nothing impure in my heart. And there, I am told that because of a birth, a lineage, a certain situation, permanently you are not allowed to touch the deity."
"Now, will the Constitution not come to the rescue?" Justice Amanullah remarked, adding that there cannot be a difference between the creator and creation.
Giri replied that if there is a complete ban on anybody becoming a priest, then that will be taken care of either by a Article 25(2)(b) legislation or it will be taken care of by the State itself.
"If priest means the person who is instructed in the 'Shastras' as to how to conduct worship and how to worship the deity, if there is a complete ban on any person becoming a priest and then doing the 'seva', as we call it, only by reason of birth, that will be taken care of either by a Article 25(2)(b) legislation or it will be taken care of by the State itself," he said.
The senior lawyer said "Naishtika Brahmachari" (perennial celibate) can be considered as an essential characteristic to the deity and the ceremonies and rituals performed in Sabarimala are in synchronisation with the concept.
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