The Bombay high court has expressed that intolerance is increasing in the country and refrained from taking any decision on the sensitive issue of ban on entry of women in the sanctum sanctorum of the
The Bombay high court has expressed that intolerance is increasing in the country and refrained from taking any decision on the sensitive issue of ban on entry of women in the sanctum sanctorum of the popular Haji Ali Dargah in the city. The bench observed, “This is an era of intolerance,” and suggested the parties to try to resolve the issue amicably.
Justice Kanade observed, “Today the atmosphere is such that everything is taken in another way. This is an era of intolerance. When it comes to religious matters people become very sensitive.”
This observation was made while the division bench of Justice V.M. Kanade and Justice Revati Mohite-Dere was hearing a petition challenging the decision taken by the Haji Ali Dargah trust to not to allow entry of women in the ‘sanctum sanctorum’ of the dargah.
The bench said, “Earlier, in a similar matter where the Parsi Panchayat had banned entry of Parsi women who married out of their caste inside their Fire Temple we (court) did not take any decision and asked them to go for an out of court settlement. The aggrieved women then approached the Supreme Court and got some relief.”
The judges advised both the parties to try to resolve the issue amicably and posted the petition for further hearing on December 15. It may be recalled that earlier the court had asked the parties to try to resolve the issue amicably but it did not work out. Later the judges suggested the trust to reconsider its decision and on last date of hearing the court was informed that a meeting was held by the trust members and again it was held that the decision was right and it was a sin to allow women in close proximity to the grave of a male Muslim saint. The trust’s lawyer also told the court that the bar on entry is meant to protect women from “uncomfortable situations”.
