Maharashtra government backs women entry in temples.
By Sreekanth A. Nair
In a historic judgment, the Bombay High Court on Friday ruled that men and women could not be discriminated to enter places of worship. It also said that the state has the fundamental duty to protect the rights of women.
“It is the fundamental duty of the state to protect the fundamental rights of women. In order to ensure that policy and purpose of the Act is fully carried out, the state will issue guidelines to all district collectors in Maharashtra,†The Indian Express quoted the bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice M S Sonak as saying.
The bench was hearing a public interest litigation questioning the custom that prevents women from entering the sanctum sanctorum of Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
The BJP government of Maharashtra has also informed the court that the government is against any kind of gender discrimination at places of worship and it backs entry of women in temples.
The government also said that it was determined to enforce the provisions of Maharashtra Places of Hindu Places of Public Worship (entry Authorization) Act, 1956, that is applicable to Hindu temples.
According to the provisions of Maharashtra Places of Hindu Places of Public Worship (entry Authorization) Act, 1956 “no Hindu of whatsoever section or class shall in any manner be prevented, obstructed or discouraged from entering such place of public worship or from worshipping or offering prayers, or performing a religious service…â€.
The High Court, however, hasn’t given any time frame to implement the verdict. The state government has decided to issue guidelines to implement the provisions of the act.
The Shani Shingnapur temple has been in the headlines for a long time when a group of women under the organization Bhumata Ranragini Brigade started efforts to revamp the age old custom that prevents women from entering the shrine area.
In January, a group of around 1500 women activists, who forcibly tried to enter the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar in the state of Maharashtra, were stopped by the Ahmednagar police.
Bhumata Mahila Brigade, a women organization that parted ways with Bhumata Ranragini Brigade is also fighting for the entry of women into the temple.
“Unlike Bhumata Ranragini Brigade, we do not believe in creating ruckus on roads and disrupt the peace while fighting against the tradition,” Priyanka Jagtap, a key activist of the Bhumata Mahila Brigade told Press Trust of India.
“Yesterday, we had gone to the temple and sought entry inside the core of the shrine. Though they (police) blocked us, we had a healthy discussion with the temple trustees,” she added.