Cong moves SC to defend '91 Places of Worship Act

The Congress has filed an application in the Supreme Court to oppose petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, contending that the Act is a cornerstone of the country's secular framework and that the challenges against it are malicious attempts to undermine established principles of secularism.

- Utkarsh Anand

NEW DELHI:

The intervention application, filed by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, highlighted that the Act reflects the mandate of the Indian people, as it was enacted during the Congress-led government in collaboration with the Janata Dal. The party said the law was part of its election manifesto, demonstrating its commitment to preserving India's communal harmony.

The party's intervention came in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, a BJP leader, challenging the validity of the Act. Upadhyay's plea claimed the law discriminates against Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities by freezing the religious character of places of worship as of August 15, 1947, with the sole exception of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya.