HC says no to Muharram rally
Any religious activity confining to within the mosque are not interfered with: Court
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday rejected the plea of Fathima Sevadal Society to take out an elephant-led procession for ‘Muharram’ in the city on August 31. Citing the SC orders in a petition seeking allowance for mourning procession by Shia Community, Justice Tadakamalla Vinod Kumar observed that any religious activity confining to a mosque are not interfered with, but processions are strictly banned. While reiterating his orders on holding processions using elephants during Bonalu, he said the plea was rejected.
The Telangana High Court on Wednesday rejected the plea of Fathima Sevadal Society to take out an elephant-led procession for ‘Muharram’ in the city on August 31.
Citing the Supreme Court Orders in a petition seeking allowance for mourning procession by Shia Community, Justice
Tadakamalla Vinod Kumar observed that any religious activity confining to within the mosque are not interfered with, but processions are strictly banned.
While reiterating his orders in the other writ petition which sought permission to hold processions using elephants during Bonalu, he said that such a plea was rejected by him keeping in view of the grim situation prevailing all over.
The judge was dealing with the petition filed by Mir. Ashfaq Ali Khan, Secretary of M/s Fathima Sevadal Society seeking a direction to the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, to accord the Muharram procession on August 31. It begins at Alawa Bibi, Dabeerpura and wades through Etebar Chowk, Kotla Ali Jah, Charminar, Gulzar House, Panjesha Mir Alam
● WHILE REITERATING his orders in the other writ petition which sought permission to hold processions using elephants during Bonalu, he said that such a plea was rejected by him keeping in view of the grim situation prevailing all over.
Mandi, Darul- e- shifa and culminates at Almas Mosque in Chaderghat, a tradition that has prevailed for the past 442 years. The procession is always led by camels, horses and elephants.
Harender Prasad, Special counsel, appearing for the State, informed the court that the constitutional bench, headed by the Chief Justice of India, rejected a similar prayer, wherein the petitioner sought permission to take out an elephant-led Muharram procession with five people.
Citing some of the incidents on the day of laying of the foundation stone for Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the counsel for the petitioner insisted upon the court to permit the procession with at least two persons.
However, the High Court rejected the plea, by recalling the Union Home Ministry’s guidelines on processions and gatherings during the Covid-19 pandemic.