Uttarakhand HC: High caste priests cannot refuse to perform religious ceremonies on behalf of lower caste people

Dehradun, July 13: The Uttarakhand High Court recently warned high caste priests against refusing to perform religious ceremonies on behalf of lower castes pilgrims, taking a stern view of the still existing practice of exclusion of the SC/ST community in Haridwar.

 

The bench comprising Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Lokpal Singh directed, “The High caste priests throughout the State of Uttarakhand shall not refuse to perform religious ceremonies/puja/rituals on behalf of the members belonging to lower castes in all the religious places/temples.”

The Court was hearing a petition filed by people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, complaining about the shifting of the staircase over the Sant Ravidass temple at Har-ki-Pauri, Haridwar. The decision to shift the staircase was taken on complaints received by followers of Sant Ravidas, who were unhappy with the fact that the staircase covered the temple.

"The high caste priests in Uttarakhand shall not refuse to perform religious rituals on behalf of the members belonging to lower castes in all the religious places," ordered a division bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Lok Pal Singh. The Bench added that constitutionally, "All the persons irrespective of their caste are permitted to enter any temple in state..."