SC rejects Hindu Mahasabha’s PIL for Muslim women’s entry into mosques

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 8

The Supreme Court on Monday turned down Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha’s PIL seeking directions to allow entry of Muslim women into mosques for offering prayers, saying the petitioners were not the affected persons. 

Questioning the locus standi of the petitioner organisation – the Kerala unit of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha—a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi upheld October 11, 2018 order of the Kerala High Court which had termed the PIL as “motivated” and used for “cheap publicity”.

“Who are you? How are you affected? Let the aggrieved persons come before us,” the top court said.

“We do not see any merit to interfere with the high court order. The petition is dismissed,” the Bench told Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha Kerala state president Swamy Dethathreya Sai Swaroop Nat.

It said the state high court has noted in its order that media reports were there even before the PIL was taken up for hearing and it appears to be a “motivated” petition, apparently meant for “cheap publicity”.

The high court had said, “The writ petition does not disclose material that would suggest that there is an established practice whereby Muslim women are being denied entry into masjids.

“A petition alleging violation of fundamental rights must indicate the nature of the right that is allegedly breached, the factual components of such right, as also the action that resulted in its breach,” it had said.