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Synopsis

The Madras High Court recently observed that on a daily basis, petitions are coming to court where violence is either apprehended or reported during temple festivals.

Court said that every time a temple festival is conducted, there are two groups, who start fighting with each other and it leads to a law and order problem, hence, every day, writ petitions seeking police protection are filed before the high court.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh stated in the order that the purpose of a temple is to enable the devotees to worship god for peace and happiness, however, unfortunately, temple festivals are perpetuating violence and it is only becoming a center stage for groups to show who is powerful in the particular area.

He wrote, "If temples are going to perpetuate violence, the existence of temples will have no meaning and in all such cases, it would be better to close down those temples so that the violence can be averted".

He underscored that in such cases, the time and energy of the Police and Revenue department is unnecessarily wasted in resolving dispute between the groups, who are fighting over their right to conduct the temple festival. "The Police and Revenue have got other important functions to perform," said the judge. 

Justice Venkatesh, therefore, refused to direct the police to provide protection for a temple festival in Mayiladuthurai.

Court was dealing with a plea filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus to direct the Police of Mayiladuthurai District to grant permission and adequate police protection to the temple festival at Arulmigu Sri Rudhra Maha Kaliamman Temple at Sirkali Town, to be held between July 23 to August 8, this year. 

The petitioner claimed that he was the hereditary trustee of the temple and there was another group of people who were claiming that they had the right to place the diety's idol inside the temple. 

Court, while refusing to grant any police protection for the festival, left it open for the parties to conduct the festival peacefully without their ego coming to the forefront. 

"If any law and order problem is created, the respondent police shall immediately interfere and take action against all persons concerned and shall stop the festival from proceeding any further," ordered the court. 

Case Title:K.Thangarasu @ K.Thangaraj v. The Secretary, Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Department and Others