Don't ban live telecast of Ram Mandir consecration on flimsy grounds, Supreme Court tells Tamil Nadu government

Tribune News Service

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, January 22

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Tamil Nadu government not to ban live telecast of the Ram Mandir consecration at Ayodhya and related events even as the state government denied having issued any such oral orders.

Permission for telecast of the event can’t be denied on the grounds that Hindus were a "minority" in a particular area, a Bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta said while hearing an urgent petition filed by a Tamil Nadu BJP member who alleged that the state government had issued oral orders banning telecast of the Ram Mandir consecration event.

"This is a homogenous society...Do not prevent only on the grounds that A or B community is there," said Justice Khanna.

What kind of reasons are given for rejection...how can a reason be given that Hindus are a minority at some place so you will not allow it? These reasons are atrocious. If this reason has to follow then it cannot happen across the state,” Justice Datta said.

On behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, senior counsel Amit Anand Tiwari said, “There are no restrictions at all. These are just politically motivated pleas.”

While issuing notice on the petition filed by Vinoj, the top court asked the state to maintain data of the permissions for telecast of the event granted and denied and posted the matter for next Monday.

“We will know how many granted and how many refused," Justice Khanna told Tiwari.

“We believe and trust that the authorities will act in accordance with the law and not on the basis of any oral instructions...The authorities while examining the applications, if any, will proceed as per law and will give reasons for allowing/disallowing such applications,” the Bench said.

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