‘Everyone Can Go’: Top Court On Entry Of Women In Sabarimala Temple
NEW DELHI: The right of a woman to pray is a constitutional right and does not depend on laws, the Supreme Court said today while hearing a bunch of petitions that challenge the traditional ban on the entry of women between 10 and 50 years of age in the famous Sabarimala temple. Women are of an age to menstruate are restricted from entering the temple as its presiding deity, Lord Ayyappa, is considered to be a celibate.
The temple board has even made it mandatory for women to provide age proof before they are allowed in.
"Every woman is also the creation of God and why should there be discrimination against them in employment or worship," said Justice DY Chandrachud, who was part of the five-judge Constitution bench hearing the case.
"All persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion... This means your right as a woman to pray is not dependent on a legislation. It is your constitutional right," the judge said.
In October last year, the top court referred the issue to the Constitution bench, framing five "significant" questions, the chief is which is whether the ban amounts to discrimination against women and violates their Constitutional rights. The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, also has Justices RF Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, and Indu Malhotra.
Today, state minister K Surendran said women should be allowed to offer prayers at Sabarimala, voicing the longstanding stance of the state's ruling CPM. "You are changing your stand again. This is the fourth time," Chief Justice Dipak Misra said, referring to the stands taken by the earlier governments.
The age notification, Justice Nariman said, is "arbitrary" as it "leaves out the 9-year-old girl and 53-year-old woman who are menstruating.
courtesy : ndtv.com
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Retired Army man killed in Kota; wife, aide held
Kota (Raj) (PTI): A 45-year-old retired Army man was allegedly strangled to death in Kota city in a conspiracy hatched by his wife with her lover and his friend, police said on Saturday.
The incident took place in the Avani Road area under the RK Puram police station limits on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.
The deceased, identified as Manoj Kumar Sharma, a native of Kishangarh in Ajmer, had been living with his family in Kota for several years. He worked as a clerk in the Ajmer electricity department after retiring from the Indian Army five years ago.
The police said the accused were preparing to perform the last rites on Friday morning without informing Sharma's parents, who live in Kishangarh. However, the neighbours grew suspicious and informed them. The parents reached Kota on Friday afternoon, stopped the cremation and lodged a complaint against the deceased's wife, Deepika (40), her lover Devesh and his friend Vishnu.
The police found strangulation marks on the body, indicating foul play, Circle Inspector of the local police station Sidharth Shrivastav told reporters on Saturday.
During the initial inquiry, it was revealed that Deepika was in a relationship with Devesh, a resident of the Khedli Phatak area in the city, who frequently visited her house in the absence of her husband.
On Thursday night, Sharma, Devesh and his friend Vishnu allegedly consumed liquor, during which a scuffle broke out between Sharma and Devesh. Devesh, along with Vishnu, allegedly strangled Sharma to death in Deepika's presence, the CI said.
The couple's children -- daughter (12) and son (14) -- were sent to bed in an upper-storey room at the time of the incident, ASI Brijraj Singh said.
On the complaint of Sharma's father, the police registered a case of murder and criminal conspiracy against the three accused. Two accused have been arrested, while Devesh is absconding, the CI said, adding that two police teams have been formed to trace and arrest him.
Family members of the deceased said relations between Sharma and Deepika had been strained for several years and alleged she frequently assaulted him.
