Madras HC expresses shock over dress code row, asks if country or religion is paramount – The New Indian Express

Chennai News

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday expressed shock over the dress code controversy erupting in certain parts of the country.

The first bench of the Madras High Court headed by the Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Munishwar Nath Bhandari asked, “What is paramount? Is it the country or religion?”

He added, “I mean, (it is) really shocking, somebody is going for the hijab, somebody is going for the topi, somebody is going for other things.”

Questioning the intention behind such things, he further asked, “Is it one country or divided by religion or something like that. This is quite surprising.”

Pointing out the fact that India is a secular country, Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari said, “What is found from the current affairs is nothing but an effort to divide the country by religions.”

The ACJ made the observations while hearing a batch of petitions filed by Srirangam-based activist Rangarajan Narasimhan who wanted the court to order strict implementation of the dress code for devotees, disallowing non-Hindus from stepping into temples across Tamil Nadu.

However, the bench asked him for illustration to show the custom of dress code followed in practice and made it clear the custom is for individual temples.

When there is no particular dress code, then how does the question of putting up display boards on the same arise, the bench asked.

When the petitioner sought an order, the bench asked him to show what part of the Agamas refer to the pants and shirts.

The bench then warned that he could be barred from appearing in person before the court and directed him to use appropriate words and stay away from quarrelling.

Advocate General R Shanmugasundaram informed the court that each and every temple is following its own custom and visitors belonging to other religion are allowed only up to the ‘kodi maram’ (flag mast).

He recalled that a division bench of the Madras High Court had already set aside an order of a single judge prescribing a dress code as it was beyond the scope of the writ petition and, moreover, the order had triggered widespread outrage and debate.

“Every temple has its own practice and custom. Certain temples allow non-Hindus up to certain areas. Non-Hindus cannot enter into beyond the kodi maram (flag mast). That is the practice,” he told the bench.

Finally, the bench allowed the petitioner to file an affidavit with illustrations on flouting of the dress codes in temples.

Source: https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2022/feb/10/madras-hc-expresses-shock-over-dress-code-row-asks-if-country-or-religion-is-paramount-2417743.html