The Supreme Court on Monday clarified that the dominant concentration of a religious community in an area or neighbourhood could not be a ground for police or State authorities to deny permission to another religious community to hold prayer meetings or public events there.
“We are living in a society in which there are homogeneous communities. But do not prevent these events only because ‘A’ or ‘B’ community is living in that area,” Justice Sanjiv Khanna observed.
The Bench, also comprising Justice Dipankar Datta, was hearing a petition challenging Tamil Nadu Police’s order prohibiting the conduct of ‘sangalpa yagam’ event in front of the Sri Bhagavathyamman temple and special alms-giving at A. Vellodu village in Dindigul district in connection with the Ayodhya temple consecration on January 22.
