Court sees no need to stop ‘healthy debate’

Permission sought for meeting on controversial subject

Update: 2014-12-14 05:56 GMT
Madras HC directed cops to grant permission to Dr Ambedkar Chiruthai Iyakkam to organise an indoor meeting on the topic whether a true Tamilian is a Hindu or not

Chennai: Pointing out that healthy debates in this part of the world have gone on for a million years and need not be stopped, the Madras high court directed the police to grant permission to Dr Ambedkar Chiruthai Iyakkam to organise an indoor meeting on December 14 at a marriage hall in New Washermenpet on the topic whether a true Tamilian is a Hindu or not.

Justice V. Ramasubramanian gave the directive while allowing a petition from E. Deivamani, secretary of Dr Ambedkar Chiruthai Iyakkam.Deivamani wanted to organise an indoor meeting and applied for permission, but since the police denied this, he filed the present petition.In his counter-affidavit filed through additional government pleader P. Sanjai Gandhi, the inspector of police, New Washermenpet contended that the organisation to which Deivamani belongs, proclaims that a Tamilian is not a Hindu and that a person who professes the Hindu faith is not a Tamilian.

Therefore, the inspector claimed that the meeting, if allowed, will provoke other people and that there may be a law and order problem.The judge said the apprehension expressed on the basis of a law and order problem has always been rejected by this court consistently in a number of writ petitions.In an indoor meeting, if the petitioner wishes to put forth his viewpoint that a Tamilian cannot profess Hindu faith, it is part of their fundamental right to do so. Whether it is right or wrong is something which opposing groups can always bring forth to the notice of the people.

“As a matter of fact, the earliest signs of rationalistic approach and the existence of diametrically opposite views on matters of religious faith can be traced to the Mahabharata which records that a philosopher, by name Charvaka, advised Yudhishtra that there is nothing called Dharma in the world. Therefore, a healthy debate in this part of the world has gone on for a million years and need not be stopped. Many times, it is only the opposite viewpoint that sustains one viewpoint,” the judge added, and recorded his appreciation for Sanjai Gandhi for making the counter-affidavit ready in a short period.

Similar News