>But it's a democratic country alright, that's why questions like this can go >to the court
*** Democracy is meaningless , or more precisely, is little more than a tyranny of the majority, unless a well defined constitution regulates the process and a trustworthy, independent judiciary can be relied upon to interpret it faithfully and intelligently. The problem is right here :-). On Feb 10, 2011, at 2:17 PM, Alpana B. Sarangapani wrote: > I thought they built a temple right in the middle of the court house! > > If they did, then yes, it won't be secularism that they followed. > > But it's a democratic country alright, that's why questions like this can go > to the court! > > > > > > > > > > > Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T > > -----Original Message----- > From: Chan Mahanta <[email protected]> > Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:30:45 > To: <[email protected]> > Cc: <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Assam] Secularism--Desi Style > > I can understand the small town ways. Even big-town ways :-). But this was > the state's High Court. And to add insult to injury, their lordships slapped > the Rs. 20,000 fine on the plaintiff!! > > Only in Gujarat . > > But, I also remember how certain assamnetters attempted to defend Hindu Pujas > to begin an engineering lab. test at IIT -M. > > > > > > > On Feb 10, 2011, at 10:26 AM, Dilip Deka wrote: > >> I was about to post the news in the net when I saw your note. >> I also started laughing when I read the news. But then again we have seen >> similar argument in city councils in USA. It is hard to change the mind set >> when one religious group has the absolute majority - Hindus in India and >> Christians in USA. The argument depicts the religious practices as cultural >> issues. >> Dilip >> >> --- On Thu, 2/10/11, Chan Mahanta <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> From: Chan Mahanta <[email protected]> >> Subject: [Assam] Secularism--Desi Style >> To: "A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world" >> <[email protected]> >> Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:41 AM >> >> I never cease to be amazed by Desi interpretations of "secularism". >> >> See below! >> >> cm >> >> >> >> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Secularism-is-not-anti-god-Gujarat-HC/articleshow/7469120.cms >> Secularism is not anti-god': Gujarat HC >> Saeed Khan, Feb 10, 2011, 06.48pm IST >> >> Article >> Comments (25) >> >> >> >> Tags:Public Interest Litigation|Gujarat High Court >> >> >> AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court on Thursday dismissed a Public Interest >> Litigation (PIL) that had challenged the performance of religious rituals in >> the court campus. The court observed that "secularism" is not "anti-god." >> >> While dismissing the PIL, the high court has also slapped a penalty of Rs >> 20,000 on the petitioner, Rajesh Solanki who is a Dalit activist. The court >> raised doubts over bonafide intentions of the petitioner. >> >> Rajesh Solanki had filed the PIL questioning performance of Hindu religious >> rituals on the high court campus on the ground that a public place should >> maintain its secular credentials in a secular country. >> >> The PIL referred to the laying of foundation stone ceremony that had taken >> place on the high court campus situated in Sola area of Ahmedabad on May 1 >> last year. The function was to mark the expansion of the existing court >> campus. >> >> The petition claimed that the court campus was a secular place and religious >> rituals - Bhoomi-pujan followed by a prayer and chanting of shlokas - should >> not be permitted, else the judiciary would lose its secular credentials in >> the public eye. The petitioner sought the performance of rituals be declared >> as unconstitutional by the high court. >> >> This PIL first came up for hearing before Chief Justice SJ Mukhopadhaya, who >> refused to hear it saying that he too was part of the ceremony. Apart from >> the chief justice, the governor and many Supreme Court and high court judges >> were present during the function. >> >> Later the case was heard by a bench of Justice Jayant Patel and Justice JC >> Upadhyay, who concluded that performance of rituals was intended for >> betterment of mankind and hence it should be viewed in this context. >> >> Rejecting the contention of the petitioner to declare the act of rituals on >> court campus as unconstitutional, the judges have observed that secularism >> is not anti-God. Quoting ancient scriptures and judgments delivered by other >> courts in relation to this idea, the court has concluded that the word >> "dharma is not contradictory to secularism, if interpreted in a proper >> manner". The court ruled out the contention that performance of religious >> rituals on the foundation laying ceremony was a non-secular act. >> >> >> Read more: 'Secularism is not anti-god': Gujarat HC - The Times of India >> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Secularism-is-not-anti-god-Gujarat-HC/articleshow/7469120.cms#ixzz1DZSZqNyx >> _______________________________________________ >> assam mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
