Staff Reporter / new Delhi
The Communist Party of India (CPI) has cautioned that fiddling With the Spirit of Secularism by Undermining the Places of Worship Act would be Harmful For the Country.
In a statement CPI disapproved recent assault on the spirit of secularism in India, exemplified by hasty survey orders issued by lower courts targeting minority places of worship. “These actions not only violate the letter and spirit of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, but also jeopardise the secular fabric that our Constitution guarantees” party said.
“The Act, which was enacted to preserve the status quo of religious places as they were on August 15, 1947, was meant to ensure peace and harmony among the diverse communities of India. By allowing such surveys, the judiciary is opening doors for religious polarisation and undermining the secular principles enshrined in our Constitution. This reckless approach threatens to divide our society and destabilise our pluralistic ethos” CPI said.
The CPI also questioned the role of the Supreme Court in the stewardship of former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud for emboldening this dangerous trend. The decision to entertain a review of the Places of Worship Act, instead of upholding it as a protective measure for religious tolerance.
This has the potential of opening a Pandora’s box that could have far-reaching consequences for communal harmony in the country. The Court’s actions have not only provided a platform for divisive agendas from the right-wing but have also undermined the protective shield that the Act offered to places of worship across communities, regardless of majority or minority. We call upon the judiciary to respect the secular framework of the Indian state and uphold the integrity of the Places of Worship Act, rather than indulging in retrogressive legal manoeuvring that puts a question-mark before our secular credentials.