Plea alleges discrimination at Parsi temple
HC seeks Centre’s reply by April 11; temple practising system of apartheid: petition
The Delhi High Court on Friday sought response of the Centre, police and the city government on a petition alleging that persons belonging to other races and religions were being discriminated against as they were being denied entry into the Parsi Fire Temple near Delhi Gate.
A Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V.K. Rao issued notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Delhi Police, the Delhi government and the Parsi Anjuman, which looks after the temple, and sought their stand on the plea by April 11.
Sanctum sanctorum
The plea, filed by lawyer Sanjjiiv Kkumaar, has alleged that the temple near Delhi Gate Metro Station was “practising a system of apartheid, untouchability and communalism by not allowing Hindu, Muslim, Sikhs etc to enter the sanctum sanctorum of Fire Temple”.
The plea stated that Mr. Kkumaar came to know of the bar on entry into the temple for people from other religions when he was denied entry there.
He claimed that there is a notice outside the temple, which states that only Zoroastrians will be admitted inside. The petition has also sought directions to the body managing the Jama Masjid here to permit women to offer prayers there.
The High Court had earlier sought response of the Centre, the State government and the city police on a similar plea seeking entry of women into the sanctum sanctorum of the Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah here.
