The Supreme Court of India on Friday (December 17) directed that people of other faiths (non-Hindus) cannot be barred from carrying out commercial activities in the premises of Sri Bramaramamba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, also known as the Srisailam temple – at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. The decision of the bench allows non-Hindus to participate in the auction and lease process of shops in the complex of the mandir.
The bench of Justices Chandrachud and A. S. Bopanna observed, “While it may be that within temple premises, one may not say something which would be offensive to the faith or that there may be no liquor or gambling, it cannot be that you will not sell bamboo, flowers or children’s toys if you don’t belong to the Hindu religion,”
It further added, “None of the tenants/shop holders shall be excluded from participating in the auction or from the grant of leases solely on the ground of their religion”
Giving its final assessment, the court passed the order, “We direct that none of the tenants or shop owners shall be excluded from participating in the auction or in the grant of leases, including in the shopping complex, solely on the ground of their religion,”
High Court agreed with the state government’s decision:
Earlier in September 2019, the High Court upheld the state government’s decision to ban non-Hindus from acquiring leases and licenses for Hindu religious organizations’ shops, malls, and retail complexes.
The government order, issued in 2015 stated, “no person professing other than Hinduism as his religion is entitled to obtain lease or license either to tender-cum-public auction of the shops, malls etc coming under the jurisdiction of A.P Charitable and Hindu Religious Institution and Endowments Act, 1987”.
However, after a contempt petition was filed by group of Muslims, the apex court stayed the decision and on Friday reversed it. According to the petition, many of the Muslim petitioners had been operating their businesses as tenants on the Srisailam temple site since 1980, but were now being discriminated against merely because of their religion.
Muslims are monopolizing stores, slaughtering meat, and Christians are using the temple as decoy:
The Hindu nationalists in the state argue that the ever-increasing presence of non-Hindus and their non-Dharmic activities in the temple area has led to a loss of faith among Hindus.
Bajrang Dal’s state Vice-President Prathap Reddy was quoted as saying by Deccan Chronicle, “Due to inaction of previous governments, the temple town of Srisailam is infested with non-Hindu faiths causing loss of faith among the Hindus.”
Reddy narrated an incident where a board was put as ‘Srisailam Matha Temple’ which directs you to a place of worship dedicated to Mary Matha. Srisailam has been a holy place of Bhagwan Shiva and Bramarambha for ages, and no one calls Bramarambha as Srisailam Matha.
Furthermore, BJP MLA from Goshamahal, T. Raja Singh, last year alleged that the pious temple compounds had fallen under the control of Muslims, and all contracts and shops had been monopolized by them. He also claimed that cows in the Gaushala were being slaughtered for their meat.
The locals believe that the excess encroachment by the non-Hindus at a place which is highly revered in the Sanatan Dharma is tarnishing the sanctity of the temple compounds. It needs to be seen if the Hindu faction challenges the Supreme Court’s decision or not.