Lord Murugan conference at Madurai: Madras High Court directs organisers to ensure communal harmony

The Hindu

16-06-2025

Taking into account that the Madurai City Police have granted permission to the Hindu Munnani to conduct Muruga Bakthargalin Aanmeega Maanadu on June 22 and the extended pre-event with certain conditions, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court modified certain conditions and directed the organisers to ensure communal harmony was maintained.
The court was hearing petitions filed by the Hindu Munnani seeking permission for an extended pre-event celebrations ahead of the conference, which included conducting poojas at the miniatures Lord Murugan's six abodes set up temporarily at Amma Thidal near the Vandiyur toll gate. The organisers also challenged the conditions imposed by the police. Impleading petitions opposing the conduct of the event and pre-event were also filed.
Justice B. Pugalendhi observed that Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees every person a right to freely profess, practice, and propagate their religion. Therefore, any individual or organisation has the liberty to hold the function based on the religious faith. However, this right is not absolute. There can be restrictions, if it is intended to affect communal harmony. The court observed: 'Our country is a diverse society having people of different faiths. The exercise of religious freedom must be harmonised with a broader objective of maintaining public order, mortality, and communal harmony.'
The Supreme Court has empowered law enforcement authorities to issue prohibitory orders whenever they found that persons, speeches, or actions were likely to trigger communal antagonism and hatred that affects communal harmony. In the present case, the State, as well as impleading petitioners, apprehend that in the guise of a religious event, the organisers may antagonise other communities, and there is a possibility of a communal clash, the court observed.
The court said The Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act defined a religious institution as any body for the promotion of any religion or persuasion and included any place or premises used as a place of public religious worship.
Section 6 of the Act prohibits any ceremony, festival, congregation, procession, or assembly organised or held under its auspices to be used for any political activity. The petitioner organisation, which claims to promote the religious values, can also be included under this definition, it said.
With regard to the condition on vehicle passes, the court said there was no reason to interfere with the condition. If any participant applies for the vehicle pass, the police shall issue it in 24 hours. In case of a rejection, the reasons have to be valid. The police will have an idea about the persons and number of vehicles, likely to participate in the conference. There is no need to furnish separate details by the organisers, the court observed.
The court observed that the condition imposed to obtain the permission from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department before installing miniatures appeared to have been imposed by the police in a mechanical manner. Similarly, another condition for permission of the Corporation authorities.
The court permitted the petitioner to use two drones for covering the events and speakers, if any to be installed, must be within the ambit of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules. The requirement of police permission for conducting the event is to ensure there are no law and order issues, the court said.
Crowd management
The petitioner said they did not need police assistance to manage the crowd as it already had volunteers. The court, taking into account that the event is to be conducted on a highway, said it should not lead to traffic congestion. Therefore, necessary police personnel may be deployed to ensure the free flow of traffic. If any police personnel were required by the organisers, the same shall be considered by collecting standard charges as per the Government Orders, the court observed.
The apprehension of the State and impleading petitioners that the event may disturb communal harmony relied on the incident that took place in Thirupparankundram. The event is being organised as a religious conference for devotees of Lord Murugan. With that being the objective, the organisers of the event must comply strictly with the observations of the Supreme Court and ensure that communal harmony is maintained, the court directed.