While the live telecast of the consecration ceremony at Ram Temple was being watched across the country, the Supreme Court on Monday said any ban on the telecast of the event or any religious event in temples in Tamil Nadu cannot be imposed on an oral order from the state government and said the authorities must pass reasoned orders as per law.
As the state government told a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta it had not passed any such order not to allow live telecast of the event, the court directed it to place before SC data on applications received by it seeking permission for live telecast and the decision taken by the authorities.
Taking note of TN Police’s decision to not give permission for alms-giving (annadanam) in Dindigul district in connection with the Pran Pratistha ceremony on the ground that Hindus are a minority in the area, the bench termed it “atrocious”. It said such reasoning is “prima facie not justified and acceptable”.
“What kind of reasons are given for rejection? Can this be a reason that a particular community is in minority, so you won’t allow the procession? Can a reason be given that Hindus are a minority at some place so you will not allow it? These reasons are atrocious. If this reason has to follow, no procession or ritual can happen across the state,” SC said.
Senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu, appearing for petitioner and BJP leader Vinoj P Selvam, submitted that DMK-led state government hated religion and it wanted to ban live telecast of the consecration ceremony of Ram Temple at Ayodhya. His submission was strongly opposed by state’s additional advocate general Amit Anand Tiwari who told the bench that the state government had not passed any order and termed the petition as “politically motivated”.
Intervening , solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that nobody could be prevented from performing the religious rituals and the court must send a strong message to the state government that the Constitution governed the nation and it applied to Tamil Nadu as well.
As the state government told a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta it had not passed any such order not to allow live telecast of the event, the court directed it to place before SC data on applications received by it seeking permission for live telecast and the decision taken by the authorities.
Taking note of TN Police’s decision to not give permission for alms-giving (annadanam) in Dindigul district in connection with the Pran Pratistha ceremony on the ground that Hindus are a minority in the area, the bench termed it “atrocious”. It said such reasoning is “prima facie not justified and acceptable”.
“What kind of reasons are given for rejection? Can this be a reason that a particular community is in minority, so you won’t allow the procession? Can a reason be given that Hindus are a minority at some place so you will not allow it? These reasons are atrocious. If this reason has to follow, no procession or ritual can happen across the state,” SC said.
Senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu, appearing for petitioner and BJP leader Vinoj P Selvam, submitted that DMK-led state government hated religion and it wanted to ban live telecast of the consecration ceremony of Ram Temple at Ayodhya. His submission was strongly opposed by state’s additional advocate general Amit Anand Tiwari who told the bench that the state government had not passed any order and termed the petition as “politically motivated”.
Intervening , solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that nobody could be prevented from performing the religious rituals and the court must send a strong message to the state government that the Constitution governed the nation and it applied to Tamil Nadu as well.
