The Madras High Court has observed that temple festivals conducted by the State through the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department cannot be allowed to perpetuate caste, stressing that public authorities must work toward eliminating caste distinctions.
Justice Bharata Chakravarthy made the observations while hearing a plea seeking directions to prohibit the use of caste names in invitations for an upcoming temple festival.
“Caste is a thing, that exists only in the minds of the people. Article 14 of the Constitution of India, enshrines the principle of equality. The very purpose of India becoming a Republic is to treat everyone equally and the concept of caste is based only on birth and birth alone divides people. The endeavour of every authority in the country, should only be to annihilate caste and not to perpetuate the same. If the festival in which the Government Department namely, the HR and CE Department, is also involved, is conducted in a manner so as to propagate caste and prominently to advertise or take pride in one’s caste, the same cannot be permitted,” the court observed.
The court was hearing a petition filed by N. Samaran seeking directions to the Commissioner, HR&CE, the Joint Commissioner, and the Executive Officer of Arulmigu Kandhasamy Thirukovil to prohibit the use of caste names in festival invitations. The petitioner had also sought a direction that only persons authorised by the Executive Officer be permitted to participate as “Sri Padhamthangis” to carry the idol during the procession.
During the hearing, the State informed the court that the temple itself was not using caste names. However, it submitted that individuals’ caste names had been printed in the festival invitation. The State further told the court that since the invitations had already been printed for the current year, no immediate corrective directions could be implemented.
Taking note of the submission, the court directed that from the ensuing festival onwards, if any person adds their caste name along with their personal name, “the caste suffix alone should be dropped, and only the name shall be printed.”
The court also rejected the State’s request to leave the matter entirely to the temple authorities.
On the petitioner’s request regarding appointment of persons for carrying the idol, the court observed that such duties are usually performed by volunteers and managed on the spot by able-bodied devotees. The judge cautioned that framing detailed rules for temple processions could open a “Pandora’s box.”
Accordingly, the court declined to frame any Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the temple procession, leaving the on-ground management to the temple authorities.
The matter was disposed of with the above directions.
Source: LiveLaw
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