Plea to enter places of worship vicious: Delhi Minorities Commission

Khan said that Parsis were worried that such a permission will cause them great pain, since only Parsis, under certain conditions, are allowed to enter the sacred fire temples.

The Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) on Sunday condemned a petition filed in the Delhi High Court that seeks permission for entry into places of worship of all religions, “in any condition”. The panel, headed by Zafarul-Islam Khan, termed the petition “vicious” and has alerted religious leaders about the issue.

Expressing concern, the commission said, “The court has been asked to allow even menstruating women to visit others’ prayer places. The petition will be heard next April, but no party has been served with a copy of the petition so far.”

The commission took note of the matter after a Parsi delegation led by Ava Khullar, President of Delhi Parsi Anjuman, approached the panel and sought its intervention, saying permission to all to enter the fire temples will become a big problem for the community. Khan said that Parsis were worried that such a permission will cause them great pain, since only Parsis, under certain conditions, are allowed to enter the sacred fire temples.

Delhi Parsi Anjuman has acquired a copy of the petition, which has been filed by one Sanjiv Kumar, who has sought permission “to enter Parsi, Muslim and Christian prayer places at any time and in any condition.”

Published on The New Indian Express

“The DMC assured them of all possible help, gave them advice on how to protect their fire temples and expressed readiness to file an affidavit in the court or become a party to the case, if needed,” read a statement issued by the commission.