MADURAI: Holding that the constitution forbids the state and its officers from controlling or regulating the affairs in the private space of a citizen, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered the state government to return the ‘Bharat Mata’ statue, which was removed by the authorities from the BJP office premises in Virudhunagar district.
Justice N Anand Venkatesh passed the order on a petition filed in 2023 by BJP’s Virudhunagar East district president G Pandurangan, seeking directions to forbear the state authorities from interfering with the party’s right to install the said statue at their office.
The judge noted that the high court on several occasions had ruled that the state cannot prevent the erection of statues on private properties. “These decisions appear to have little or no effect in permeating the obstinate side of the state and its officials. Nevertheless, the callousness of the state must not dampen the vigil of the court,” he said.
Citing various judgments passed by courts in India and abroad, the judge concluded that the authority of the state must end where the boundaries of private property start.