India’s highest court is currently reviewing multiple petitions challenging a law from 1991 that protects the original character and identity of religious sites as they were in 1947, when the country gained independence. The law prohibits any changes or conversions to places of worship and bars courts from adjudicating disputes over their status, except for the Babri Masjid case, which was specifically exempted.
The Babri Masjid, a mosque from the 16th century, was at the center of a longstanding dispute that ended with its destruction by a Hindu mob in 1992. A court ruling in 2019 granted the site to Hindus for the construction of a temple, reigniting debates on India’s religious and secular divisions.
The current petitions, including one from a member of Prime Minister Modi’s BJP, argue that the 1991 law violates religious freedom and constitutional secularism. The hearings come as Hindu groups file cases challenging the status of numerous mosques, claiming they were built on the ruins of Hindu temples.
Opposition leaders and Muslim groups support the law, arguing that it is essential to protect the places of worship of religious minorities in a predominantly Hindu India. They also question the historical evidence presented by the petitioners. They warn that if the law is weakened or repealed, it could lead to more challenges and increase religious tensions, particularly between Hindus and Muslims.
A recent petition in Rajasthan claimed a temple existed where the revered Ajmer Sharif shrine now stands. The law was enacted to maintain the religious character of all places of worship as they were on the day of independence in 1947, amidst rising tensions during a movement to build a temple at the Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya. The violence that followed was a grim reminder of the religious conflicts during the partition in 1947.
The law becomes a topic of discussion whenever there are new developments in cases involving contested mosques, especially those claimed by Hindu groups. The Supreme Court’s ruling on the law will have significant implications for the fate of many religious structures, particularly those of Muslims, that are disputed by Hindus. The law also attracts attention when disputes over mosques arise, such as the recent incidents in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Overall, the law remains a contentious issue that continues to generate headlines due to ongoing disputes and legal challenges involving religious sites across India. También observó que la ley de 1991 no impidió investigaciones sobre el estado de un lugar de culto a partir del 15 de agosto de 1947, siempre y cuando no buscara alterarlo.
Desde entonces, muchos han criticado esto, con el ex funcionario público Harsh Mander diciendo que “abrió las compuertas para esta serie de órdenes por parte de los tribunales que van en contra de la ley de 1991”.
“Si permites que la encuesta de una mezquita determine si debajo había un templo, pero luego prohíbes acciones para restaurar un templo en ese sitio, esto es una receta segura para fomentar el resentimiento, el odio y el miedo que podrían detonar durante años en amargas disputas entre personas de diversas creencias,” escribió el Sr. Mander.
Los críticos también señalan que la naturaleza histórica de los sitios hará difícil establecer de manera concluyente reclamos divergentes, dejando espacio para amargas batallas interreligiosas y violencia.
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