One of the basic tenets to be followed by every Hindu is tolerance including towards practices of other religions: Madras HC
The Madras High Court ruled that one of the basic tenets to be followed by every Hindu is tolerance including towards practices of other religions.
Background
The petitioner is a resident of Neduvilai, Kodaivilai, Kanyakumari District. He says that he is a Hindu. One of the basic tenants to be followed by every Hindu is tolerance. Tolerance must be his own community or religion and in particular, to also to every other religious practice.The petitioner, however, has raised objections particularly against the respondent Y.Thangaraj, who had apparently built a church, which in the eyes of the petitioner is causing nuisance because the respondent conducts prayers using loudspeakers throughout day and night.
The petitioner had relied on a judgment of the Single Judge of the Court and the Supreme Court wherein, permission granted to run a church had been examined. In South India Assemblies of God Vs the District Collector, Kanyakumari District and others, the relief sought was of negative nature seeking a Mandamus restraining the right of the petitioner, Assemblies of God to Church situated at Kanyakumari. The Single Judge had passed an elaborate order and had dismissed the Writ Petition. Therefore, the District Collector had refused to give permission to put up a Church.
Decision
The single judge bench of Justice C.V. Karthikeyan noted that the District Collector, quite apart from examining all aspects, had finally granted permission to the fourth respondent to put up a Church, or rather to convert the existing house into a church.
The court said that the petitioner should learn to live with everybody else around him. The country takes pride in unity in diversity. There cannot be diversity in unity. The petitioner should accept the group of people living across, and around with him and he should also accept that people of various faiths and various caste, creed and religion are given rights under the constitution.
The court stated that if the respondent District Collector either by himself/herself or through the respondent Sub Collector, Padmanabhapuram, were to impress upon the other respondent to practice tolerance and respect, then it is confident that sense and sensibility would prevail over pride and prejudice.
Case title: Paulraj v/s The District Collector and Ors.
Citation: W.P(MD).No.11276 of 2020
