VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court Wednesday allowed one petitioner representing the Arya Vysya community to implead in the petition filed challenging the State government’s ban on the exhibition of Chintamani stage play in the State. The High Court dismissed the plea of two others to implead in the case and asked the state government and the petitioners, whose implead petitions were allowed, to file counters.
The government had banned the exhibition of the stage play following representations from the Arya Vysya community which contended that one of the characters in the play, belonging to their community, was depicted in an objectionable manner. The famous play has been exhibited for the past 100 years.
Narasapur MP K Raghu Rama Krishnam Raju had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the decision of the government.
When the petition came up for hearing on Wednesday, Sri Kasi Annapurna Arya Vysya Old Age Home and Nityannadana Satram coordinator Gubba Chandrasekhar moved a petition to implead in the case. Two more associations of the Arya Vysya community also filed petitions.
The bench of Chief Justice Prasanth Kumar Mishra and Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy took exception to the number of implead petitions filed and asked as to why so many petitions were filed. The bench sought to know from the counsels of the petitioners as to which one should be allowed else they would disallow all the petitions.
With the consent of the counsels, the petition filed by Sri Kasi Annapurna Arya Vysya Old Age Home and Nityannadana Satram coordinator Gubba Chandrasekhar was allowed while the counsels of the two other petitioners withdrew their petitions.
When the bench sought the opinion of the petitioner on allowing the implead petition, arguing on behalf of the petitioner Raghu Rama Krishnam Raju, counsel PVG Umesh Chandra said the play was staged for 100 years. There is a possibility that Brahmins would demand ban on play Kanyasulkam while people of Rajaka community might demand ban on Ramayana citing their community was shown in a derogatory manner, Umesh Chandra said.
The bench said that if the sentiments of any community are hurt, they can react and approach the courts. Umesh Chandra left the allowing of the implead petition to the court and the bench allowed the implead petition filed by Gubba Chandrasekhar.
PIL posted to February 23
The bench asked the Gubba Chandrasekhar and the government to file counters and posted the matter for hearing to February 23. Earlier, the High Court bench had said the livelihood of one should not hurt the sentiments of other communities.