The Communist Party of India (CPI) disapproves of the recent assault on the spirit of
secularism in India, exemplified by hasty survey orders issued by lower courts targeting
minority places of worship. These actions not only violate the letter and spirit of the
Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, but also jeopardise the secular fabric
that our Constitution guarantees. The Act, which was enacted to preserve the status
quo of religious places as they were on August 15, 1947, was meant to ensure peace
and harmony among the diverse communities of India. By allowing such surveys, the
judiciary is opening doors for religious polarisation and undermining the secular
principles enshrined in our Constitution. This reckless approach threatens to divide our
society and destabilise our pluralistic ethos.
The CPI also questions the role of the Supreme Court in the stewardship of former
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud for emboldening this dangerous trend. The decision to
entertain a review of the Places of Worship Act, instead of upholding it as a protective
measure for religious tolerance. This has the potential of opening a Pandora's box that
could have far-reaching consequences for communal harmony in the country. The
Court’s actions have not only provided a platform for divisive agendas from the right-
wing but have also undermined the protective shield that the Act offered to places of
worship across communities, regardless of majority or minority. We call upon the
judiciary to respect the secular framework of the Indian state and uphold the integrity of
the Places of Worship Act, rather than indulging in retrogressive legal manoeuvring that
puts a question-mark before our secular credentials.
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