MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has held that non-Hindus who are found sporting their religious markers or fail to furnish the requisite undertaking showing their reverence to the deity should not be permitted to enter the premises of Agamic temples.
A bench of Justices G R Swaminathan and P Murugan said that though Agamic injunctions restrict entry of non-Hindus only beyond the flagpole if they fail to sign the undertaking, it is going a step further with the above order, inspired by the Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorisation Act, 1947 and a 1972 Madras HC judgment, wherein it was observed that the entire temple precincts have to be held sacrosanct.
The bench passed the order during the Dussehra vacation sitting on October 23, on a PIL filed by K Thangam Venkatesh of Madurai, seeking enforcement of statutory provisions restricting entry of persons bearing other religious symbols and non-adherents from entering restricted areas of temples.
The judges said that though the issue was already dealt with by two single judges of the Madras HC – in the aforesaid 1972 judgment of Justice T Ramaprasada Rao and in Justice S Srimathy’s verdict in 2024 – such an authoritative pronouncement was necessary in view of recent incidents of ‘chamchagiri’ (obsequiousness) and ‘optics’ displayed by political cadres and leaders in temple premises, breaching the customs of the temples.
They recalled that MLA Badrudeen Mustafa, who proclaimed sanatana dharma ought to be eradicated, went up the tower during the recent consecration ceremony at Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple in Madurai. Another minister, who is a Christian by faith, entered the Tiruchendur Subramaniya Swamy temple without signing the undertaking required from non-Hindus, they added.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has signed such an undertaking when he visited the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple recently, they noted. “The chief minister, who is a Christian by faith, was not asked to convert to Hinduism. He was only requested to affirm his reverence for the deity. This is what we call an inclusive approach,” the judges observed.
But ‘Chamchagiri’ being endemic to our political culture, many party workers follow their leaders even into temples without bothering whether they can enter the premises or not, the judges criticised.
They took judicial notice of a video circulating on social media of persons wearing skull caps entering Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar temple, despite vigorous protests by the devotees. “The HR&CE staff stood as mute spectators,” they added.
Similarly, a political leader, who is a fundamentalist subscribing to a non-Hindu faith, visits temples and displays the religious mark on his forehead due to the vote value of such a display, they further said.
Though the additional advocate general submitted that the procedure laid down in the relevant laws is being followed and will continue to be followed, the judges allowed the petition with the above order.