PM Modi's speech during inauguration of Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya not political propaganda: Madras HC

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pic/AFP

The Madras High Court while dismissing a plea against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech delivered during the inauguration of the Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya, stated that they have gone through the entire speech of the Prime Minister and it "does not amount to political propaganda".

The Bench of Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy in an order passed on February 10, 2022 that read, "We have gone through the entire speech of PM which is on record and find that it is relevant to the occasion. The speech makes a reference of the holy monasteries, four Dhams and 12 Jyothirlingas established by Shri Adi Shankaracharya." "Thereafter, a reference was made to the efforts put in by the Government of Uttarakhand to control COVID-19. The same, by no stretch of imagination, can be said to be for promoting any political activity", the court noted.

The permission accorded for the telecast of the speech cannot be said to be for promoting or propagating any political activity, rather it was organised and telecasted largely in all religious places, which includes the Jyotirlingas and Jyothishpeethas on dedication of Samadhi of Shri Adi Shankaracharya. The speech of the Prime Minister shows in depth reference to the legacy of Adi Shankaracharya; what is dharma; what is the relation of dharma and knowledge; the significance of Chardham Yatra; and, the Indian Philosophy of human welfare, said the court.

A small portion of the speech commending the efforts put in by the State of Uttarakhand for fighting Covid-19 cannot be read in isolation to give it a different colour as claimed by the petitioner, the court said. Court order came on a petition moved by Rangarajan Narasimhan referring speech delivered by the Prime Minister during the inauguration of the Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya, the petitioner submitted that the said programme was telecast live in more than 16 temples and personnel belonging to political parties gathered there to witness the programme. He submitted that the aforesaid was not permissible in view of Sections 3 to 5 of the Act of 1988.

The petitioner alleged that ignoring the provisions, the HR & CE Department is permitting use of temple premises for political purposes. The petition sought a direction to prohibit meetings or gathering of people for the purpose of political, spiritual, governmental, personal or any other kind other than the activities in accordance with the recognized religious practices, custom and usage pertaining to the Sampradhaya to which the temple belongs and sanctioned by the respective Agama Shastrasand ban any event such as birthdays of employees of HR&CE department, celebration of political leaders' birth and death anniversaries, Golu (Navarathiri Doll festival), English New year Day, and other entertainment activities inside the temple premises, read the plea.

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