அரசு தரப்பில் ஆஜரான கூடுதல் தலைமை வழக்கறிஞர் ராஜகோபால், மத வழிபாட்டுத் தலங்களை திறந்தால் கூட்டம் அதிக அளவில் வரும், அவற்றை கட்டுப்படுத்த முடியாது ,சட்டம் ஒழுங்கு பிரச்சினை ஏற்படும், பாதுகாப்பு அளிக்க போதுமான காவலர்கள் இல்லை என்றும் தெரிவித்தார். மேலும் மத்திய அரசு மத வழிபாட்டுக்குரிய திறக்கக்கூடாது என்று உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளதாகவும் சுட்டிக்காட்டினார்
CITYPlaces of worship can’t be reopened till lockdown is lifted: Centre informs Madras high court
Sureshkumar | Updated: May 18, 2020, 19:34 IST
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CHENNAI: The central government on Monday made it clear that places of worship cannot be reopened till the lockdown is lifted as it might not be possible for the authorities to control crowd, which may in turn lead to the spread of Covid-19.REMOVE ADS
The Union government made the submission in the Madras high court on a public interest litigation seeking a direction to the authorities to reopen places of worship — including temples, churches and mosques — during lockdown with adequate measures to maintain social distancing.
“Freedom of religion is subject to public health and public order as per Article 25 of the Constitution. If the places of worship are opened, it may not be possible to control crowd and there is every possibility for spread of the pandemic. Hence, the central government has extended lockdown of such places also,” additional solicitor general G Rajagopal said.
Recording the submission, a special division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana said if permission is granted to reopen religious places of worship, there would be a huge crowd and the law and order machinery may not be able to control it.
The petitioner, being a social activist, has not come up with any solution for maintenance of social distancing by persons coming for worship. Therefore, the petition is dismissed, the court added.
The issue pertains to a plea moved by R K Jaleel. He contended that since most of the shops and offices were already allowed to function in non-containment zones, temples and other religious places might also be reopened.
“Except the containment area, most of the establishments and shops were allowed to open. Industries, individual shops, IT companies, and MSME’s were allowed to open and conduct business,” the petitioner said.
The petitioner said besides the financial burden caused by the Covid-19 outbreak and nationwide lockdown, the situation has caused mental distress to many. Opening temples and other religious places would help such people get peace of mind by offering prayers to their respective gods.
This apart, this is the month of Ramadan, the holiest month of the year for Muslims, he added.
Therefore, he wanted the court to interfere and direct the state to allow reopening of places of worship and permit the public to offer prayers by following all Covid-19 guidelines.
அரசு தரப்பில் ஆஜரான கூடுதல் தலைமை வழக்கறிஞர் ராஜகோபால், மத வழிபாட்டுத் தலங்களை திறந்தால் கூட்டம் அதிக அளவில் வரும், அவற்றை கட்டுப்படுத்த முடியாது ,சட்டம் ஒழுங்கு பிரச்சினை ஏற்படும், பாதுகாப்பு அளிக்க போதுமான காவலர்கள் இல்லை என்றும் தெரிவித்தார். மேலும் மத்திய அரசு மத வழிபாட்டுக்குரிய திறக்கக்கூடாது என்று உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளதாகவும் சுட்டிக்காட்டினார்
