DELHI HC SEEKS CENTRE, GOVT STAND ON PIL TO DISTINGUISH RELIGION FROM DHARMA

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the stand of the Centre and city government on a PIL seeking a direction to the authorities to use the "proper meaning" of the term "religion" and not use it as a synonym of "dharma" in the official documents.

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A bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma granted time to the governments for responding to the petition by lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. The petition also sought a direction to include a chapter on "dharma" & "religion" in the syllabus of primary and secondary schools "in order to educate the masses and control the religion-based hatred and hate speeches".

"There is a colonial mindset which is being continued," stated the petitioner before the bench, also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela. In his petition, the petitioner asserted that "dharma" is not religion as the former is "non-divisive", "non-exclusive" and "transcends narrow boundaries of religion".