LUCKNOW: Dismissing a petition seeking to bar Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from entering Kashi Vishwanath temple and having darshan of Lord Shiva, the court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM) of Varanasi said the deity belonged to everyone irrespective of caste, creed, or religion.
CJM SP Yadav, while junking the plea, said that the views expressed by the chief priest of Kashi Vishwanath temple reaffirm the fact that Lord Shiva, the deity at the temple did not belong to one sect or religion.
The CJ added that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had come for darshan of Lord Shiva with a religious feeling which was welcomed. “Otherwise also, devotees of all religions and caste are allowed to pray in the temple. Praying in a temple hurt no one’s religious sentiments,” said the judge.
He added that AICC general secretary did no such act which could amount to an offence. “As such the petition does not qualify to stand in the court,” he maintained.
Advocate Kamlesh Chandra Tripathi had petitioned the court of CJM filing a plea under Section 156 (3) CrPC claiming that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who hailed from a Christian family, had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus by visiting and praying in the sanctum sanctorum of Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi on March 20, 2019.
The petitioner claimed that he had earlier urged the Varanasi DM and other officials concerned to stop worship by people of other religions in the temple but no action was taken in that regard.
The petitioner had urged the court to summon the chief management officer of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, its chief priest, and others in the case.