Apex court permits prayers at 3 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 (Covid-19) 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.

The court stated that its order allowing entry into the three temples would be limited to this particular case and would not apply to any other temple or festivals involving large congregation, including the annual 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, which start on Saturday.

“We make it clear that this order is not intended to be used as a precedent by other persons to seek permission to hold any festivals/festivities which would involve, by their very nature, congregation of people, such as ‘Ganesh Festival’,” the court said. The order was passed on a plea by Shri Parshwatilak Shwetamber Murtipujak Tapagacch Jain Trust.