Apex court permits prayers at Jain temples in Mumbai

NEWDELHI:THE Supreme Court on Friday allowed the entry of a limited number of devotees to three Jain temples in Mumbai over the weekend (August 22 and 23) to offer prayers during a community festival. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde said that the opening of the temples would be subject to the undertaking given by the petitioner trust, which said that only five people will be allowed to enter a temple at a time and only 250 people would be allowed to enter per day in the wake of the coronavirus disease ) pandemic.

“Considering the peculiar facts and circumstances, the prayer made by the petitioners is allowed to the limited extent of permitting them to open the three temples one each in Byculla, Dadar (West) and Chembur in Mumbai on

August 22 and 23 for devotees to perform the rituals connected with ‘Paryushan’,” the bench said.

The court was also critical of the Maharashtra government’s policy of allowing economic activities to continue but imposing restrictions on activities connected with religion on ground of Covid threat.

“We find it strange that you are allowing every activity involving economic interests and money. But if it involves religion, you say you cannot do it because of Covid,” CJI Bobde said.